Gilgal Refaim

A Mysterious Cross Between Stonehenge and a Crop Circle

On a wide plateau in the Golan Heights region lies the ancient, mysterious rock structure called the
Gilgal Refaim. Although it is millennia old, very little is actually known about the Gilgal Refaim or those
who built it.

Gilgal in Hebrew translates to circle. Refaim translates to ghosts. However, according to legend, Refaim was also a race of giants who lived in the Bashan (present-day Golan Heights). To this day it remains a mystery to historians, scholars, and archaeologists.

Resembling a cross between Stonehenge and a giant crop circle, the Gilgal Refaim is made up of approximately 42,000 volcanic basalt stones and measures approximately 490 feet in diameter. Its outer walls reach up to 8 feet tall. In the center lies a tomb that experts believe was added almost 1,000 years after the original site was built. To truly appreciate the Gilgal Refaim’s grandeur, one must see it from the air. From above, it is a truly spectacular site to behold.

A Mystery of the Ages

Because so little is known about the Gilgal Refaim and those who built it, experts not only speculate on its purpose, they are perplexed by it. Theories about its creators and use abound.

The Gilgal structure has a closer resemblance to ruins found on Malta and Zimbabwe than those found in Europe believed to have been built at the same time. The land surrounding the site is dotted with thousands of smaller dolmens (tombs), many of which are similar in appearance to tombs found in France and Northern England. Yet there is no evidence that the nomads and indigenous people of the time had any contact with Europe. Additionally, this type of structure did not fit within the architectural style of the local herdsmen, nor did their primitive technology allow for such a monumental undertaking.

Underscoring the mystery further is the belief that the site was used as a burial place for an important ruler. But the tumulus in the center was added approximately 1,000 years after the original rings were constructed. No remains were found in the tumulus—only several artifacts that do not indicate any identity.

Anthropology experts believe that Gilgal Refaim was built to function as a celestial calendar and observatory. The structure’s outer ring has two openings oriented to the northeast and southeast. In 1968 Professor Yonathan Mizrahi of the Department of Anthropology at Harvard University and Professor Anthony Aveni of Colgate University discovered that in 3000 BCE, the first rays of the summer solstice would have appeared directly through the northeast opening as seen from the central tumulus. At the same time, the southeast opening provided a direct view of Sirius. Yet Professor Mizrahi posits the following skeptism,

“Why would they have undertaken such a massive building project, collecting 37,000 tons of stone and painstakingly laying them down to last forever, when the same task could have been completed using one rock and a stick?”

Within the context of the celestial calendar theory, other experts think the Gilgal Refaim was used as a place for special ceremonies that aligned with the equinoxes. It is assumed that the people of the region used the site as a place to worship Tammuz and Ishtar, the gods of fertility, as a tribute for a bountiful harvest during the year.

Other theories delve into the conspiratorial and extraterrestrial. We encourage you to explore those on your own.

While the experts speculate, we see Gilgal Refaim as a source of awe and inspiration. We do not seek to solve the mystery—we embrace it. In the spirit of Gilgal Refaim, we see ourselves as an ancient and modern mystery to be discovered, debated, and savored.

We encourage you to get to the bottom of Gilgal.