Enclosure C Detail

View looking down into Enclosure "C."  Enclosure C consists of two concentric circles of pillars.  The "floor" of the enclosure is bedrock that was smoothed out.

The outer ring of the enclosure was set up and used first.  Then it was ritually buried and another, smaller ring was set up inside of it.  Eventually the whole was buried and another circular enclosure was set up.  This is a LOT of work: quarrying the pillars, shaping them, carving out the bas-relief, transporting them, and setting them up (some weighing 16 tons [15 mt.])!!). Remember this is the Neolithic period (9,500 B.C.) when only flint tools were available!!!

The stones in the rings are connected by low stone walls and face towards the center of the circle.  The two central pillars are mounted in shallow grooves that were cut into the floor/base.

Prof. Schmidt believes that the T-shaped pillars are stylized human beings.

I would have loved to see what "goodies" are under the pillars that are protected by their wooden cases (@$#!).

Enclosure C is surrounded by the visitors' walkway.  It was discovered in 1998.