The Stone Circle of Nabta Playa
In the Egyptian desert, a small ring of standing stones may be one of the oldest astronomical sites in the world.
What was reported
Nabta Playa is a dry basin in the Nubian Desert, about 100 km west of Abu Simbel. Thousands of years ago, seasonal rains filled it with a lake, and herders gathered there with their cattle.
Archaeologists found a small circle of stones about 4 metres across, with pairs of upright slabs that seem to line up north–south and towards the midsummer sunrise, along with lines of standing stones and cattle burials. The site was in use long before the pyramids were built.
Explanations offered
Some researchers argue the circle worked as a calendar, marking the summer solstice that brought the rains, and that some stones lined up with bright stars. Others think the alignments are coincidental or overstated. The circle has since been moved to the Nubian Museum in Aswan.
- When
- Built around 7,000 years ago
- Where
- Nubian Desert, Aswan, Egypt
- Witnesses
- Archaeologists
- Status
- Disputed
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