Ancient X Files

Archaeologists have uncovered the remains of Gobekli Tepe, a Neolithic hill‑top sanctuary in Turkey, dating to the early Neolithic period. In Ireland, a series of maimed bodies were discovered in a water‑logged, muddy landscape, suggesting a ritual or violent context.

The programme titled is presented as a single episode that brings together two striking archaeological investigations. It is billed as a factual documentary, focusing on the material remains that have reshaped our view of ancient ritual and violence. In this installment the narrative pivots between two separate discoveries. The first concerns the excavations at Göbekli Tepe, a Neolithic sanctuary perched on a hilltop in Turkey. The second follows the unearthing of a collection of maimed human remains from a water‑logged, muddy landscape in Ireland. Both sites are examined for what they reveal about the societies that created them. Göbekli Tepe is described as a hill‑top sanctuary dating back to the Neolithic era, where archaeologists have uncovered a series of stone circles and carved pillars. The findings at this Turkish site illustrate a complex ritual centre that predates the advent of agriculture, hinting at sophisticated communal activities long before settled farming took hold. The Irish segment centres on a series of bodies recovered from a boggy environment, each showing signs of deliberate mutilation. The discovery of these maimed remains in the mire provides a stark glimpse into the violent practices that may have been part of ritual or punitive behaviour in ancient Ireland, underscoring the episode’s focus on the darker aspects of prehistoric life.