The ’Handbags’ of Göbekli Tepe’s Pillar 43: Are These Actually the Enclosures? | Ancient Architects

Pillar 43 in Enclosure D of Göbekli Tepe is without doubt the most iconic piece of art at the ancient Pre-Pottery Neolithic site. Researchers have analysed it in detail. Some believe it has archeoastronomical significance, some say the iconography is naturalistic and some ritualistic, but whatever the interpretation, everyone notes the three strange objects that run along the top. On the internet you can often find them called ‘the handbags of the gods’ due to their likeness to the buckets held by Assyrian demigods, the bags in Olmec art used to carry hardened tree sap, bag shaped objects in ancient North American rock art and so on, but these comparisons are unfounded and very speculative. Researcher Martin Sweatman interprets the three symbols as solstice and equinox sunsets with each animal being an astronomical marker so we know which event is being depicted. You can learn more on Martin’s channel here: