- January 10, 2026
- 2:31 pm
- Israel
On the Golan Heights, about 16 km from the Sea of Galilee (Kinneret), there is a place that initially disappoints in person — and then suddenly overwhelms. Gilgal Refaim (גלגל רפאים) is translated in various ways: Wheel of Ghosts, Circle of Spirits, sometimes even Ring of Giants. And yes, it is called the Israeli Stonehenge — not because it “sounds nice,” but because the resemblance in idea and mystery is indeed persistent.
Especially in spring, when the Golan is green, the air is wet from the grass, and the first flowers emerge where there was mud yesterday, this structure seems not just ancient — it seems stubbornly alive. Massive. Too calm for something that is about five thousand years old.
And yet, getting there is not always easy: the road requires a decent car and a willingness to walk.
Here is a link to Google Maps – https://maps.app.goo.gl/sYoit28RBqSTPTaL9
Stones that look like “just a pile” from the ground
Gilgal Refaim consists of approximately 42,000 basalt boulders, with a total weight estimated at up to 40,000 tons. At eye level, it often looks like a chaotic heap of stones — without an “entrance,” without a beautiful composition, without a convenient sign saying “look here.”
But all the magic is that the structure is only readable from above.
There are five concentric circles, and the largest of them is about 156 meters in diameter. And this is one of those rare cases where the phrase “seen from above” is not a journalistic metaphor: in the modern era, the object was indeed recognized and described thanks to aerial surveys.
There is another detail that catches the eye: unlike the British Stonehenge, there are no hewn vertical pillars here. The Israeli version is made of unprocessed stones, piled on top of each other. As if it was important for the builders not to “show technique,” but to create mass. Perimeter. Boundary.
What the “Wheel” looks like and why it deceives from the ground
From the ground, Rujm el-Hiri often looks like a disorderly stone scatter. But from above, the main thing is visible: a system of concentric circles converging towards the center, where a tumulus is located.
Facts in numbers (according to the most common descriptions):
More than 42,000 basalt boulders
The outer circle is about 150–160 m in diameter
The total weight of the complex is estimated at approximately 37,500–40,000 tons
The dating is usually attributed to the turn of the 4th–3rd millennia BC (early Bronze Age), but ranges in sources may vary
When “it was discovered” and who took it on
Sometimes it is written that the object was “discovered from the air.” It is more correct to say this: after 1967, the monument was systematically recorded and described during surveys of the area, and then it became the subject of regular research, including excavations and mapping.
In recent years, geophysics and remote analysis of the terrain and structure have been added to the study.
Observatory, calendar, or… why was it built at all?
Scientists still do not have a single answer as to why this was built. There are many versions, and each sounds like a separate genre — from strict archaeology to biblical legend.
The most common explanations usually look like this:
Observatory. For a long time, it was believed that the openings and directions in the walls were related to the points of sunrise on the days of the summer and winter solstices. The version is beautiful, logical, almost “textbook.” But it has a weak point: recent studies, taking into account soil shifts and changes in the orientation of the structure over time, make this hypothesis more cautious.
Cult of the dead. In the center is a tumulus with a burial chamber. And here is an important nuance that makes the story even stranger: it is often indicated that the tumulus could have appeared about a thousand years later than the circles themselves. That is, the “heart” of the complex could have been added later — meaning the monument’s purpose could have changed.
Sky burial. This is a term for the practice where the deceased was left in an open place, and the flesh was eaten by birds — primarily vultures. This form of burial is known in the region in earlier periods. The version sounds harsh, even unpleasant — but that’s why it sometimes seems plausible: the ancient world did not have to be “beautiful.”
Gathering place for tribes. Perhaps it was a ritual center for nomadic peoples — a meeting point, negotiations, rituals, status demonstration. Stone as a “contract” that cannot be taken away.
Calendar. A similar idea: the place could serve as a primitive calendar and mark key points of the annual cycle — primarily solstices. This does not necessarily contradict the ritual version: in ancient societies, the calendar and cult were often the same.
Connection with giants. The Golan is a territory that biblical tradition associates with giants. Therefore, a tempting legend arises: supposedly, giants built it for giants, “tomb of giants,” and some even say “grave of Goliath.” This is no longer science, but mythology — but mythology that clings to the stones as tightly as moss.
Between spirits and Golgotha: why the name sounds so strong
The name Gilgal Refaim is not just “beautiful words.” It is itself like a hint that does not fully explain anything.
Gilgal (גִּלְגָּל) — circle, wheel. The root is associated with the idea of rolling, rotating, folding. In biblical language, “gilgal” is also a place where stones were set in a circle as a sign of memory. And yes, from a close root comes the word gulgoleth (גולגולת) — “skull,” from which the well-known word “Golgotha” grew. It is not a fact that this is a direct semantic bridge, but the feeling of “stones as memory” arises almost automatically here.
Refaim (רְפָאִים) — a complex word: both giants and spirits. In biblical texts, the Rephaim are an ancient people of giants who lived, among other places, on the Golan; in later poetry and tradition, they are already “shadows of the dead,” inhabitants of the underworld.
Therefore, there are so many translations: this name simultaneously holds two worlds — the physical and the “invisible.”
Why it’s important not to fall into “monographs about giant-occupiers”
Such places always attract not only archaeologists and historians. They are loved by writers, directors, esoteric enthusiasts — and, unfortunately, those who build pseudo-historical theories under a political slogan.
Gilgal Refaim sometimes appears in texts where authors confidently prove that “giants lived here in ancient times” and then draw conclusions not about archaeology, but about modernity. And here it is useful to at least understand the basics: what exactly is this object, what time is it from, how is it structured, why are there so many versions around it.
Because, no matter how you look at it, this stone structure is interesting in itself without any “additional tales.” Simply because it stands on the Golan — and is silent. And we are still trying to understand what exactly ancient people wanted to fix in basalt: calendar, memory, fear, power… or something for which we do not yet have words.
How to get to Gilgal Refaim (practically and without unnecessary risk)
Before departure — briefly about the important
The area sometimes falls under IDF training mode. On certain days, access may be restricted.
After rains, dirt roads become muddy: even a “high” car may not pass, and the walking part will become more difficult.
There is no “tourist infrastructure” on site: rely on water, sun, and wind.
Option 1 — the most understandable: parking at highway 808 + walking about 2 km
Drive on highway 808 to the Tzomet Daliyot junction.
From the junction, continue on 808 towards Katzrin to the bus stop.
About 100 meters ahead, you can usually see cattle gates and trail markings (often these are route markers on fences). Cars are usually left there.
Then walk north on the trail across the plateau — approximately 2 km one way.
Along the way, you cross Nahal Daliyot (in certain seasons there may be water).
What to take: water, closed shoes, a hat, a light jacket for the wind.
Option 2 — drive closer on a dirt road (better for 4×4 or high vehicles)
Stay in the same area: about a kilometer north of Tzomet Daliyot on 808, there is usually a turn right (east) onto a dirt road.
You can drive closer to the circles on the dirt road and reduce the walking part to a few hundred meters.
If the road is questionable (mud, ruts, low visibility) — don’t risk it and choose Option 1.
How to enter in the navigator
In Waze/Google Maps, search usually works by name: גלגל רפאים
Or in English: Gilgal Refaim
On site — simple rules
Do not climb on the masonry or “disassemble” the stones: this is a monument that is easy to damage.
If you see fences, warnings, or military activity — turn around without arguments.
Best time: morning (the light is softer, less heat and wind).