The Science of Religion. Howard Barry Schatz

      The existence of Göbekli Tepe and Karahundj as star observatories suggest the possibility that the origins of geometry and trigonometry were earlier than most scholars are prepared to acknowledge. Neugebauer admits that he expends little effort to explore the ancient origins of the fully developed science found within Old Babylonian period cuneiform tablets (circa 1800 BCE). There are other scholars, however, like Jöran Friberg, who search for the beginnings of mathematics in 4th millennium Sumerian script during the transition period between pictographs and cuneiform phonetics.110 As we have already mentioned, Kramer goes so far as to credit the superior pre-Sumerian race with all of the great advances of Sumerian civilization. In light of Kramer’s observations, perhaps we should at least reexamine our prejudice regarding the IQ and accomplishments of prehistoric man. We should take care not to underestimate the capabilities of a race that may well have been more biologically evolved than our own. Is it possible that mathematics and science preceded writing? Perhaps time will tell.