It also made reference to stone figures and columns discovered at the excavation site, suggesting that hundreds of people had worked to transport and erect the columns. The grassy knolls around the site suggest that the locals hunted and farmed in olden times.The shape and style of the temple also revealed that talented craftsmen had worked on its design and construction, said the article.
R. Scott: This would indicate to me that it is not "the world's oldest temple", just the oldest we have found so far.Well put.
Ptarmigan: Cool finding! I always think there is a lost civilization that predates Sumeria, which occurred at least 10,000 years ago. I think this lost civilization likely stretched from India to Indonesia. I think some of them went to the Middle East. I believe the inhabitants are the present day Ainu and Polynesian people.I agree and disagree. I'd agree that there were civilizations which predate Sumeria, but I very much doubt that there was just one coherent civilization stretching across the Earth.