Researchers Find 28 Circular Stone Structures in Israel
Satellite imagery reveals dozens of ancient stone circles near the Rujm el-Hiri monument, some larger than the monument itself.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Geography
Researchers identified 28 large circular stone structures within 25 kilometers of Rujm el-Hiri, a monument near the Sea of Galilee. Most of the structures had escaped earlier archaeological surveys, according to a March 2026 PLOS One study.
Why it matters
The discovery expands the known archaeological footprint around Rujm el-Hiri and shows how satellite imagery can reveal features missed by ground surveys. Some of the circular structures are larger than Rujm el-Hiri itself.
The 28 structures range from roughly 50 to 250 meters across, with Circle 9 measuring around 250 meters, while Rujm el-Hiri spans 492 feet and is nearly 5,000 years old. The source does not establish what function the circles served or when most were built.
The players
PLOS One
PLOS One is a peer-reviewed open-access scientific journal that published the March 2026 study identifying the 28 circular structures.
The details
Researchers examined satellite images taken between 2004 and 2024 and documented the structures within a 25-kilometer radius of Rujm el-Hiri. Many of the circles sit near seasonal streams, and the study also found the monument has rotated counterclockwise and shifted tens of meters from its original location.
Timeline
First discovered in 1968.
Satellite images from 2004 to 2024 were analyzed.
Original satellite imagery study published in November 2024.
PLOS One study identifying 28 structures published in March 2026.
Big Picture
The findings follow a pattern in which high-resolution satellite imagery has revealed archaeological features missed by ground surveys, and the monument's documented rotation links it to regional tectonic movement of 0.3 to 0.6 inches per year.
The findings show how satellite imagery can reveal archaeological sites that remain hidden from ground-level surveys. Readers interested in ancient landscapes can use such imagery to explore mapped features of regions they study or visit.
The takeaway
Satellite imagery is becoming a practical tool for finding ancient structures that ground surveys can miss. Studies like this one show that monuments can shift over millennia, so their positions should be read with geology in mind.
Further reading
Explore more on Geography to see how landscapes and ancient sites are mapped and studied.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ZME Science.
