Rujm el-Hiri is a vast stone monument near the Sea of Galilee, which has long puzzled archaeologists. Often called the “Stonehenge of the East” or the “Wheel of Ghosts,” the nearly 5,000-year-old maze-like structure spans a diameter of 492 feet. Despite decades of study, its true purpose remains elusive.
Now, a new study upends one of the most enduring theories about the site: its potential use as an astronomical observatory. Researchers have shown that the massive stone structure has moved by tens of meters over the past thousands of years due to tectonic activity beneath the Golan Heights. This means any alignment with celestial bodies may have been impractical, raising questions about its possible role as an observatory.
Beyond the Stones
The researchers at Tel Aviv University and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, used satellite imagery to identify hundreds of archaeological features, including tumuli, linear stone walls, and circular “flower-like” enclosures — all within a 30-kilometer radius of Rujm el-Hiri. This means the site is not an isolated relic but part of a complex network of ancient structures.
The similarity in construction styles hints at a shared cultural origin. While Rujm el-Hiri dominates the landscape with its monumental size— its outer circle spans 150 meters; in total 42,000 basalt rocks were arranged by ancient people — these smaller structures echo its design principles. Circular forms and carefully laid stone walls appear repeatedly, underscoring a unified vision among the region’s ancient builders.
As for the structure itself, its exact purpose remains a matter of debate. Theories range from a burial site for elite individuals to a gathering place for tribes or even an astronomical observatory. However, the broader network of structures challenges the idea of a single, monumental purpose. Instead, Rujm el-Hiri may have been the centerpiece of a dynamic landscape, a hub in a system of agricultural, ritual, and social activities.
A Monument to What?
Rather than solving the mystery of Rujm el-Hiri, this new study expands it. The site has rotated counterclockwise and shifted from its original location by tens of meters. Each year, tectonic plates in the area move between 0.3 and 0.6 inches. Over millennia, this seemingly minor movement adds up considerably.
“This implies that the primary axes of Rujm el-Hiri have rotated over time along with the entire region, casting significant doubt on the popular theory that Rujm el-Hiri was an observatory,” the authors wrote.
Perhaps the site was indeed some kind of astronomical observatory originally when it was erected. However, the significant displacement and the degradation of the stone monument now make it impossible to prove the site’s purpose, one way or the other.
First discovered in 1968, Rujm el-Hiri features a central cairn surrounded by concentric basalt rings and radial walls. Its size and design suggest it served a significant function, but what that was remains unclear.
Rujm el-Hiri’s concentric circles and central tumulus share striking similarities with structures found in Egypt, Crete, and the broader Levant. For instance, a recently discovered large circular enclosure in Egypt, larger than Rujm el-Hiri, features concentric rings and a labyrinthine internal design that mirrors the radial walls and central cairn of the Golan Heights site. Similarly, a Minoan structure in Crete, though more associated with palace culture, exhibits a comparable layout of circular walls and intersecting radials, suggesting a shared architectural lineage.
Unlike Stonehenge in England, whose astronomical alignments remain well-preserved, this site’s history has been shaped — quite literally — by the forces of geology.
The findings appeared in the journal Remote Sensing.
