One way in which meaning was affirmed in the ancient symbolic tradition was through redundant presentation of an intended meaning. At Gobekli Tepe, we see a number of symbolic elements which arguably do precisely that. Prerequisite to this discussion, we need to recall that in ancient times a sanctuary, temple, or shrine was understood as a place where the non-material and material domains come together. The symbolism we observe there centers on a series of metaphors for that concept.
The Samkhya philosophy was an early expression of cosmological definitions, and is understood to be foundational to classic creation traditions in India. It was a companion to the personalized practice of Yoga, whose concepts run parallel to Samkhya. Samkhya attests that universes form in pairs, with a flow of energy between the universes that is as essential to life in our universe as the natural water cycle is to life on the earth. The non-material universe is treated as feminine, the material universe as masculine.The processes of material creation are catalyzed when non-material and material energies come together in the context of an act of perception.
By one line of symbolism, the geometric figure of a circle corresponded to the non-material domain, while that of a square was treated as an icon for the material domain. In this context, any action that reconciles the figure of a circle and a square becomes a metaphor for the non-material and material energies coming together.
The three carved "handbag" shapes do just that - they combine a rounded top with a squared bottom. Moreover, they correspond to an ancient Egyptian glyph shape with the phonetic value of Het, which also defines the concept of a sanctuary or temple.
![]()
![]()
The two universes are compared to siblings or companions, and the coming together of the energies is characterized as an embrace. This is the meaning we see symbolized by the amorphous arms that emerge from the sides of one of the Gobekli Tepe pillars and whose hands wrap around the end of the pillar. In support of that view, an ancient Egyptian word for "pillar" also means "embrace".
![]()
At Gobeki Tepe we see several representations of a figure that closely resembles the letter H in the English language. That figure seemingly survived in the Masonic tradition. A 1910-era article from the Masonic New Age Magazine describes the figure to represent the coming together of feminine and masculine energies as a catalyst to the processes of creation. We see a body configuration for the Egyptian dung beetle, who represents the concept of non-existence coming into existence, that compares to the letter H.
![]()
In Dogon culture, the shape of a fox's tail - also featured on a Gobekli Tepe pillar - is comparable to that of the vesica piscis - it is treated as the figure that is evoked by the coming together of the feminine and masculine universes.
![]()
By another metaphor of the cosmology, the sun becomes an icon of the material domain, while Sirius similarly represents the non-material domain. Consequently the notion of the two coming together also reflected the idea of the two energies coming together. We this reflected in the heliacal rising of Sirius that signified the start of a new year in Egypt and other ancient cultures. At Gobekli Tepe, the partial sun glyph figure corresponds to how the Dogon represent the idea of Sirius meeting the sun.
![]()
There is one subtle carving from the Gobekli Tepe pillars that is sufficient to positively tie the various elements seen there to later classic creation traditions - specifically to the Samkhya cosmological philosophy, to Buddhism, to Hinduism and to the Dogon - by association, to the ancient Egyptians.
What is pictured - in the configuration of an enimatic H-shaped symbol - are two elephants. These figures are perhaps the most secretive of the ancient cosmologies I've studied. While studying Dogon references that correspond to the Hindu elephant god Ganesha, I inferred that Ganesha must have had a female counterpart. Moreover, the symbolic relationship between the two was characterized as an embrace - the same term used to describe the coming together of nonmaterial and material energies.
![]()
I set out on a search to locate surviving references in Hinduism or Buddhism and turned up descriptions of a hugging Ganesha icon, along with specifications for how such an icon should be fashioned as a figurine. I could find no surviving image in India or China. I learned that such a figure HAD existed in China, but was considered to be so highly secretive that it was only allowed to be housed in a portable shrine - one that could be moved on short notice. References to the concept were banned in China in 1100 AD by a Chinese emperor, and omitted from a master volume on Buddhism in that era. However, both the concept and depiction survived in Shingon Buddhism in Japan under the name Kangiten.
![]()
Later, while searching for any modern representation, my wife Risa came across a brass figure in India, built from brass to the proper specifications, for around $30. We ordered it - with the disclaimer that we should allow 6-8 weeks for delivery. 3 days later the figure arrived.
The Samkhya philosophy was an early expression of cosmological definitions, and is understood to be foundational to classic creation traditions in India. It was a companion to the personalized practice of Yoga, whose concepts run parallel to Samkhya. Samkhya attests that universes form in pairs, with a flow of energy between the universes that is as essential to life in our universe as the natural water cycle is to life on the earth. The non-material universe is treated as feminine, the material universe as masculine.The processes of material creation are catalyzed when non-material and material energies come together in the context of an act of perception.
By one line of symbolism, the geometric figure of a circle corresponded to the non-material domain, while that of a square was treated as an icon for the material domain. In this context, any action that reconciles the figure of a circle and a square becomes a metaphor for the non-material and material energies coming together.
The three carved "handbag" shapes do just that - they combine a rounded top with a squared bottom. Moreover, they correspond to an ancient Egyptian glyph shape with the phonetic value of Het, which also defines the concept of a sanctuary or temple.
The two universes are compared to siblings or companions, and the coming together of the energies is characterized as an embrace. This is the meaning we see symbolized by the amorphous arms that emerge from the sides of one of the Gobekli Tepe pillars and whose hands wrap around the end of the pillar. In support of that view, an ancient Egyptian word for "pillar" also means "embrace".
At Gobeki Tepe we see several representations of a figure that closely resembles the letter H in the English language. That figure seemingly survived in the Masonic tradition. A 1910-era article from the Masonic New Age Magazine describes the figure to represent the coming together of feminine and masculine energies as a catalyst to the processes of creation. We see a body configuration for the Egyptian dung beetle, who represents the concept of non-existence coming into existence, that compares to the letter H.
In Dogon culture, the shape of a fox's tail - also featured on a Gobekli Tepe pillar - is comparable to that of the vesica piscis - it is treated as the figure that is evoked by the coming together of the feminine and masculine universes.
By another metaphor of the cosmology, the sun becomes an icon of the material domain, while Sirius similarly represents the non-material domain. Consequently the notion of the two coming together also reflected the idea of the two energies coming together. We this reflected in the heliacal rising of Sirius that signified the start of a new year in Egypt and other ancient cultures. At Gobekli Tepe, the partial sun glyph figure corresponds to how the Dogon represent the idea of Sirius meeting the sun.
There is one subtle carving from the Gobekli Tepe pillars that is sufficient to positively tie the various elements seen there to later classic creation traditions - specifically to the Samkhya cosmological philosophy, to Buddhism, to Hinduism and to the Dogon - by association, to the ancient Egyptians.
What is pictured - in the configuration of an enimatic H-shaped symbol - are two elephants. These figures are perhaps the most secretive of the ancient cosmologies I've studied. While studying Dogon references that correspond to the Hindu elephant god Ganesha, I inferred that Ganesha must have had a female counterpart. Moreover, the symbolic relationship between the two was characterized as an embrace - the same term used to describe the coming together of nonmaterial and material energies.
I set out on a search to locate surviving references in Hinduism or Buddhism and turned up descriptions of a hugging Ganesha icon, along with specifications for how such an icon should be fashioned as a figurine. I could find no surviving image in India or China. I learned that such a figure HAD existed in China, but was considered to be so highly secretive that it was only allowed to be housed in a portable shrine - one that could be moved on short notice. References to the concept were banned in China in 1100 AD by a Chinese emperor, and omitted from a master volume on Buddhism in that era. However, both the concept and depiction survived in Shingon Buddhism in Japan under the name Kangiten.
Later, while searching for any modern representation, my wife Risa came across a brass figure in India, built from brass to the proper specifications, for around $30. We ordered it - with the disclaimer that we should allow 6-8 weeks for delivery. 3 days later the figure arrived.