Mustatil structures – Bätylos

Real X-File ID: 7567

Report Date: 06/13/2023

Country: Saudi Arabia

Place: Near Alula

Fingerprints: Ancient historical records of extra terrestrial interaction

Existing Facts Sources: Internet article, Newspaper, Book

Summary Report: 

Mustatil structures are rectangular stone settlements in Saudi Arabia that still puzzle us. They date back to the Neolithic period, to a time around 7000 years ago, and usually consist of two large platforms connected by parallel longitudinal walls. It has long been suspected that they served religious purposes, with animals sacrificed and rain and/or fertility rites performed. Astronomical or calendar purposes have also been considered.

A team of archaeologists led by Melissa Kennedy (University of Western Australia) has now published the results of new excavations and analyses of one such site, confirming the religious background of the structures. The team found about 260 fragments of animal skulls and horns, all arranged around a large upright stone. The excavators interpreted the stone as a bätylos. Based on a C14 dating, this Bätylos may be one of the oldest in the Arabian Peninsula and was apparently a repeatedly visited pilgrimage destination.

Bätylos is the name for cult stones that were believed to temporarily house a god. Also dating from about 7000 years ago is a cult site with an upright stone south of the Sea of Galilee. Later, at the time of the Minoans, Egyptians and Phoenicians, people believed that they could communicate with the gods by means of such a stone. Even later, Hittites, Canaanites and several Semitic peoples worshipped such sacred stones. Israelite kings, according to the Old Testament, forbade related stone cults. Still later they are found among the Nabataeans, the ancient Greeks and Romans. Herodotus wrote about upright cult stones of the Arab tribes around 450 BC, while the Phoenician scholar Philon of Byblos wrote about “animated stones” – baitylia – around 120 AD. In pre-Islamic times, the Arabs knew of several ancient cult sites with stones of the gods, even in the vicinity of Mecca. Even in Muhammads time, people made pilgrimages there to offer sacrifices. It is still unclear whether the Kaaba in Mecca is connected with this.

Links: https://arkeonews.net/uncovering-the-ritual-past-of-ancient-mustatils-cult-herding-and-pilgrimage-in-the-late-neolithic-of-north-west-arabia/


Facts Source Details:
Details of Internet Article:  Leman Altuntas,,https://arkeonews.net/uncovering-the-ritual-past-of-ancient-mustatils-cult-herding-and-pilgrimage-in-the-late-neolithic-of-north-west-arabia/
Details of Newspaper:  SAGENHAFTE ZEITEN 3/2023,06/01/2023,Melissa Kennedy
Details of Book:  Meta-mythology of Baetyl Cult.,N. Marinatos,In: U. Dill: Antike Mythen. Berlin 2009,


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