Rujm el-Hiri

32°54′31″N 35°48′03″E  /  32.908705°N 35.800705°E  / 32.908705; 35.800705 Rujm el-Hiri or Gilgal Refaim Rujm el-Hiri ( , Rujm al-Hīrī , also romanized as Rujm Hiri and Rujum al-Hiri ; Hebrew : Gilgal Refaim , גלגל רפאים ) is an ancient megalithic monument consisting of concentric circles of stone with a tumulus at center. It is located in the Golan Heights some to mi east of the eastern coast of the Sea of Galilee , in the middle of a large plateau covered with hundreds of dolmens . Also called Rogem Hiri (its Arabic name in Hebrew ), another more recent Hebrew name for the site is Gilgal Refaim (גלגל רפאים, Gilgal Refā'īm ). Made up of more than 42,000 basalt rocks arranged in concentric circles, at center is a mound to m tall. Some circles are complete, others incomplete. The outermost wall is to m in diameter and to m high. The establishment of the site, and other nearby ancient settlements, is dated by archaeologists to Early Bronze Age II (3000–2700 BCE). There are several hypotheses regarding its purpose and uses, ranging from a calendar , to a tomb or site of worship. Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs .

Stone-age monument in the Golan Heights Rujm el-Hiri ( , Rujm al-Hīrī ; Gilgal Refā'īm or Rogem Hiri ) is an ancient megalithic monument consisting of concentric circles of stone with a tumulus at center. It is located in the Israeli-occupied portion of the Golan Heights , some 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) east of the coast of the Sea of Galilee , in the middle of a large plateau covered with hundreds of dolmens . Made up of more than 42,000 basalt rocks arranged in concentric circles, it has a mound 15 feet (4.6 m) tall at its center. Some circles are complete, others incomplete. The outermost wall is 520 feet (160 m) in diameter and 8 feet (2.4 m) high. The establishment of the site, and other nearby ancient settlements, is dated by archaeologists to the Early Bronze Age II period (3000–2700 BCE). Since excavations have yielded very few material remains, Israeli archeologists theorize that the site was not a defensive position or a residential quarter but most likely a ritual center, possibly linked to the cult of the dead. However, there is no consensus regarding its function, as no similar structure has been found in the Near East. Archaeological encyclopedia of the Holy Land . The Holy Land: An Oxford archaeological guide from earliest times to 1700 . "Rogem Hiri: A megalithic monument in the Golan, Mattanyah Zohar" (Press release). Hebrew University of Jerusalem .

Stone-age monument in the Golan Heights Rujm el-Hiri ( , Rujm al-Hīrī ; Gilgal Refā'īm or Rogem Hiri ) is an ancient megalithic monument consisting of concentric circles of stone with a tumulus at center. It is located in the Israeli-occupied portion of the Golan Heights , some 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) east of the coast of the Sea of Galilee , in the middle of a large plateau covered with hundreds of dolmens . Made up of more than 42,000 basalt rocks arranged in concentric circles, it has a mound 15 feet (4.6 m) tall at its center. Some circles are complete, others incomplete. The outermost wall is 520 feet (160 m) in diameter and 8 feet (2.4 m) high. The establishment of the site, and other nearby ancient settlements, is dated by archaeologists to the Early Bronze Age II period (3000–2700 BCE). Since excavations have yielded very few material remains, Israeli archeologists theorize that the site was not a defensive position or a residential quarter but most likely a ritual center featuring ritual activity to placate the gods, or possibly linked to the cult of the dead. However, there is no consensus regarding its function, as no similar structure has been found in the Near East. Archaeological encyclopedia of the Holy Land . The Holy Land: An Oxford archaeological guide from earliest times to 1700 . "Rogem Hiri: A megalithic monument in the Golan, Mattanyah Zohar" (Press release). Hebrew University of Jerusalem .

Stone-age monument in the Golan Heights Rujm el-Hiri ( Arabic : رجم الهري , romanized : Rujm al-Hīrī ; Hebrew : גִּלְגַּל רְפָאִים , romanized : Gilgal Refaʾim ) is an ancient stone, or megalithic , structure consisting of concentric circles of stone with a tumulus , a mound of earth and stone, at center. It is located in the Golan Heights some 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) east of the coast of the Sea of Galilee , in the middle of a large plateau covered with hundreds of dolmens , single chamber tombs of stone. Made up of more than 42,000 basalt rocks arranged in concentric circles, Rujm al-Hiri has a mound 15 feet (4.6 m) tall at its center. Some circles are complete, others incomplete. The outermost wall is 520 feet (160 m) in diameter and 8 feet (2.4 m) high. The establishment of the site, and other nearby ancient settlements, is dated by archaeologists to the Early Bronze Age II period (3000–2700 BCE). Since excavations have yielded very few material remains, Israeli archeologists theorize that the site was not a defensive position or a residential quarter but most likely a ritual center featuring ritual activity to placate the gods, or possibly linked to the cult of the dead. However, there is no consensus regarding its function, as no similar structure has been found in the Near East. Archaeological encyclopedia of the Holy Land . The Holy Land: An Oxford archaeological guide from earliest times to 1700 . "Rogem Hiri: A megalithic monument in the Golan" (Press release). Hebrew University of Jerusalem .