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The Ancient “Wheel of Ghosts” Shifted 40 Meters Since It Was Built 5,000 Years Ago – Raising Questions About Its Astronomical Purpose

Published on 09/01/2025 at 23:22
Updated on 09/01/2025 at 23:23
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An Ancient Monument Known As “Wheel of Ghosts” Intrigued Researchers By Moving About 40 Meters Since Its Construction 5,000 Years Ago. This Unexpected Change Raises New Questions About Its Possible Astronomical Purpose And What The Ancients Sought When Raising This Mysterious Structure.

One Of The Most Enigmatic Megalithic Constructions In The Middle East, The Wheel of Ghosts, Or Rujm el-Hiri, In The Golan Heights, Has Defied Explanations Since Its Discovery In 1968.

Dating Back About 5,000 Years, The Imposing Structure Was Recently The Subject Of A Study That Discarded The Theory Of Its Use As An Astronomical Observatory, Bringing New Mysteries To Light.

Features Of The Structure

Rujm el-Hiri Consists Of A Central Landmark Surrounded By Multiple Concentric Circles Of Basalt Stones, Linked By Radial Walls.

With A Diameter Of 150 Meters And A Circumference Reaching 500 Meters, The Monument Impressive Due To Its Complexity.

Despite Its Grandeur, Few Artifacts Have Been Recovered At The Site, Making Clear Interpretations About Its Purpose Difficult.

Over The Decades, Various Theories Have Emerged. Some Archaeologists Speculated That The Structure Could Have Served As A Defensive Fort, While Others Believed It Marked The Burial Site Of A Political Figure Or Leader.

However, In 1998, A Hypothesis Gained Traction: That The Wheel of Ghosts Might Be An Astronomical Observatory.

(a) Geographic Location Of Rujm el-Hiri; (b) Aerial View; (c) Distance-Height Profile Of The Surrounding Area In Relation To The Northernmost Point Of The Sea Of Galilee (Vertical Axis – Altitude Below/Above Sea Level, In Miles; Horizontal Axis – Distance In Kilometers). The Vertical Line Indicates The Location Of Rujm el-Hiri. (Khabarova Et Al., 
Remote Sensing , 2024/ 
Freikman & Porat, 
J. Inst. Archaeol. Tel Aviv Univ ., 2017 )

Astronomical Theories Challenged By The Earth’s Movement

The 1998 Study Suggested That The Axes Of Symmetry And The Entrances Of The Wheel Were Aligned With Solstices, Equinoxes, And Celestial Bodies Like Sirius, In The Bronze Age Sky.

This Idea Was Widely Accepted, But The Recent Study Brought New Data That Undermine This Thesis.

Researchers Analyzed Tectonic Movements In The Region Around The Sea Of Galilee Over The Last 150 Million Years.

They Discovered That The Tectonic Blocks In Northern Israel Are Continuously Moving In A Counterclockwise Trajectory At A Rate Of 8 To 15 Millimeters Per Year.

This Movement Resulted In A Displacement Of About 40 Meters Of The Structure Over The Last 4,000 Years. This Means That The Alignments Observed Today Do Not Correspond To The Original Positions Of Its Entrances And Radial Walls.

The Integrated Geophysical Analysis Of The Region Reveals That The Site Of Rujm el-Hiri Rotated Counterclockwise And Shifted From Its Original Location By Dozens Of Meters,” Affirm The Authors Of The Study. They Conclude That The Monument Would Hardly Have Been Designed As An Astronomical Observatory.

Comparisons With Other Mysterious Monuments

The Research Rekindled The Mystery Surrounding The Wheel Of Ghosts. Its True Function Remains Unknown, But Intriguing Comparisons Arise.

In Crete, For Example, Archaeologists Discovered A Similar Circular Labyrinth, Attributed To The Minoan Civilization And Dated To A Historical Period Close To That Of The Wheel.

This Structure In Crete, Also Shrouded In Mystery, May Have Served As A Ceremonial Space Where Rituals And Celebrations Occurred. Could The Wheel Of Ghosts Have Shared A Similar Purpose?

What Is To Come

The Lack Of Artifacts And The Ongoing Actions Of Tectonic Movements Further Complicate Understanding About The Original Purpose Of Rujm el-Hiri.

However, The Discovery That The Structure “Rotated” Over Millennia Highlights The Importance Of Considering Geological Factors When Interpreting Ancient Archaeological Sites.

For Now, The Wheel Of Ghosts Maintains Its Title As An Enigma, A Stone Labyrinth That Rotates Not Only Physically, But Also Around The Hypotheses Attempting To Explain Its Creation.

What Appeared As An Answer Has Turned Into More Questions, Deepening The Fascination Surrounding This Mysterious Landmark Of Human Past.

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Fabio Lucas Carvalho

Jornalista especializado em uma ampla variedade de temas, como carros, tecnologia, política, indústria naval, geopolítica, energia renovável e economia. Atuo desde 2015 com publicações de destaque em grandes portais de notícias. Minha formação em Gestão em Tecnologia da Informação pela Faculdade de Petrolina (Facape) agrega uma perspectiva técnica única às minhas análises e reportagens. Com mais de 10 mil artigos publicados em veículos de renome, busco sempre trazer informações detalhadas e percepções relevantes para o leitor.

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