Megalithic towers were built 8000 years before the Great Pyramids.

People usually believe that pyramids are the greatest architectural achievement in the history of our civilization. But this is highly inaccurate for several reasons. First of all, when people think of pyramids, they think of the Great Pyramid of Giza. Although the Great Pyramid is certainly one of the most impressive man-made monuments on Earth, it isn’t the largest (by volume) nor is it the oldest. Long before the Great Pyramid of Giza was built, ancient cultures around the globe built intricate, megalithic monuments.

In fact, if you ask historians, they’ll say that the oldest pyramids are in South America. According to our current understanding and knowledge of history, some of the first examples of pyramids on Earth were built in present-day Brazil and Peru, between 5,000 and 4,700 years ago. Brail was home to some of the largest as well. It is estimated that the largest Brazilian pyramids covered as much as 35 acres, and some of them were built to a height of around 170 ft.

The pyramids aren’t the greatest architectural achievement also because long before the Brazilian or Peruvian pyramids, ancient—now lost—cultures erected truly massive (megalithic) structures. There are various examples around the globe. One of the most impressive examples of ancient structures that defy our very understanding of megalithic structures are located in present-day Turkey at an archaeological site known as Göbekli Tepe.

This site is perhaps as complex and mysterious as the greatest Egyptian pyramid. Göbekli Tepe is a site that is believed to be around 13,000 years old, and many scholars argue it is the oldest megalithic temple on the surface of the planet. Curiously, only around 5% of the site has been excavated to date, which means that a treasure trove of ancient history remains hidden beneath the surface. Read the free story.