14 DAY TRIAL // Not too long ago, the remains of an ancient stone monument were identified in present-day Israel, not far from the Sea of Galilee.
Thus, the monument sits at a distance of just 8 miles (13 kilometers) northwest of this freshwater lake. Interestingly enough, the structure was first believed to have been part of a wall.
Having analyzed bits and pieces of pottery recovered at the site of this monument, archaeologists concluded that the stone structure was built sometime between 3050 BC and 2650 BC, Live Science informs.
Otherwise put, this recently discovered stone monument in Israel appears to have been around for about 5,000 years now. This means that it might be just a wee older than the world-famous pyramids of Egypt.
Researcher Ido Wachtel with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem says that the stone monument is shaped like a crescent. At its base, it measures 492 feet (150 meters) in length and 66 feet (20 meters) in width.
Add to this the fact that the structure's current height is one of 23 feet (7 meters), and it's no surprise that archaeologists are quite impressed with it and eager to learn more about it.
Due to the fact that the monument is shaped like a crescent, Ido Wachtel and colleagues suspect that it was erected as a means to honor an ancient Mesopotamian lunar god named Sin.
This theory is backed up by the fact that the remains of a long-lost town dubbed Bet Yerah, which translates as “house of the moon god,” sit not very far from this structure.