Stonehenge of Anatolia

The stelas and stone circles in the necropolis area of the Urartian Kingdom in Van is called the ‘Stonehenge of Anatolia’ because of its similarity to the structure in Britain. The area needs attention to draw tourists An area of 1,600-squaremeters, where more than 2,000 stelas have been erected by the Urartian Kingdom through mathematical calculations, and underground rock graves need attention to contribute to Turkish tourism.

The structures, which date back to 3,000 years ago when the Urartians lived in the region in the eastern province of Van’s Tuşba district, shed light on the lifestyle of the past, as well as scientific work in the ancient era.

Round stones

The stelas and stone circles, located in the necropolis (graveyard) area 1.5 kilometers northeast of the Kalecik neighborhood, reveal that the Urartian people dealt with the science of astronomy. The area is home to round stones and differ in 13-40 meter diameters, and 25 underground graves, as well as 2,475 stelas.

Yüzüncü Yıl University Head of Archaeology Department Associate Professor Rafet Çavuşoğlu said the 20-500 kilograms of stones, which were brought from the stone pits on the Şahbağı Hill, were placed in the area with great attention.

The stones, which are placed on a straight surface, were also used in astronomy in the Urartian era.
“We consider the possibility that a great state like the Urartians had a calendar system. Foreign academics approve this view, too. There are such places made up of monolith stones in Europe and the Near East, too. They are around Syria, Khazar and the Aral Sea. Urartians have the gods of the sun and moon. Since they used the moon...