What is the origin of Israel's Stonehenge?
When was Rujm el-Hiri built, and why?
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When was Rujm el-Hiri built, and why?
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Zuzana Vaľovská
July 24, 2026 at 01:51 AM
It is one of Israel´s most enigmatic places. Therefore, to give you an answer it´s not so easy. The name Rujm el-Hiri in Arabic means “stone heap of the wild cats”. Israelis called the place Gilgal Refaim – “Wheel of Giants” connecting the site to Og, king of Bashan, and the legendary kingdom of giants (read Deuteronomy 3,13). Archeologists seem to think this site wasn´t built for defense neither it was a residential quarter. This megalithic monument was most likely some kind of ritual center, possibly linked to the cult of the dead. As it really is one of the most fascinating archeological locations, I highly recommend more reading about it and ideally visiting!