BGU Study Reveals Israel’s Stone Circles Network

For decades, the massive stone circles of Rujm el-Hiri in the Golan Heights were considered a singular, mysterious anomaly—often dubbed "Israel’s Stonehenge." However, new research led by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) is rewriting that narrative. Using advanced satellite imagery and remote sensing technology, researchers have discovered that this iconic monument is actually the centerpiece of a much larger, previously hidden phenomenon.

The study, published in the journal PLOS One, identified at least 28 additional large stone circles in the surrounding region. These findings suggest that Rujm el-Hiri was not an isolated monument, but rather the most elaborate example of a widespread architectural tradition integrated into the social and economic systems of the proto-historic Levant.

Technology Uncovering the Invisible

Technological leaps in high-resolution satellite photography and remote sensing are allowing archaeologists to survey vast, inaccessible areas—whether due to rugged terrain or geopolitical constraints. By analyzing images across different seasons, lighting conditions, and vegetation states, the BGU-led team identified field walls, enclosures, and stone circles that had escaped documentation for millennia.

"By combining satellite imagery and environmental analysis, Rujm el-Hiri—once perceived as an almost isolated monument—is revealed as the most impressive and magnificent example of a regional phenomenon," explains Dr. Michal Birkenfeld of BGU’s Department of Archaeology. "These circles, identified through remote sensing and contextualized through geophysical data, invite a reinterpretation of significant proto-historic monuments in the region, recognizing them as integral parts of broader social and economic systems."

"The territory of Israel still contains many archeological secrets, which can be revealed through integrated analysis using advance Remote Sensing, surface geophysical methods, and tectonic-morphological methodologies," says co-author Prof. Lev Appelbaum (Tel Aviv University and Azerbaijan University),

A Consistent Architectural Tradition

The newly discovered sites share a striking design: large circular structures, often exceeding 50 meters in diameter, built from local basalt fieldstones. These structures include circular walls and internal partitions, many of which are located near seasonal water sources and integrated into ancient agricultural-pastoral land-use networks. The research team included Dr. Michal Birkenfeld (BGU), Dr. Olga Khabarova (University of Luxembourg), Prof. Lev Appelbaum (Tel Aviv University and Azerbaijan University), and Uri Berger (BGU PhD student and Israel Antiquities Authority researcher).

The architectural and environmental context of these findings suggests that Rujm el-Hiri should no longer be viewed as a unique outlier, but rather as part of a much broader, integrated cultural landscape. These stone circles likely served a variety of functions, acting as ritual gathering places, territorial markers, or seasonal assembly sites for ancient herding communities. Furthermore, their consistent placement near seasonal water sources and field systems implies that these monuments were fundamental to how ancient populations managed their resources and moved across the Golan Heights, pointing to a sophisticated and shared regional tradition.

"Our analysis may have implications for previous interpretations of Rujm el-Hiri's function," concludes Dr. Birkenfeld. "While traditional archaeological methods remain essential, this landscape-based perspective allows us to reach a fuller understanding of these monuments within our shared human past."