New aerial photography over Jordan recently unveiled details about a series of ancient stone circles that dot the landscape of the Middle East. However, their existence baffles scientists: what purpose did these circles serve and who built them?

After examining new aerial photographs of 11 of these structures, called "Big Circles," researchers noted that they were all similar. All but one was about 1,312 feet in diameter and they were all built as low circular stone walls with no openings. They also appear in a variety of settings throughout the Middle East. Some are in the desert, others in rocky areas, some are on or near hills.

Careful examination of the photographs, along with previously discovered artifacts found near the sites, dates them back to about 2,000 years, although there's a chance they're even older than that, possibly even prehistoric.

Unfortunately, no one has really studied the structures before, although archaeologists originally discovered them in the 1920s. Archaeologists are hoping the new aerial images will interest scientists and inspire them to find out more about these mysterious stone circles.

Researchers have already ruled out several uses for the structures. Although similar to corrals, for herding animals, the walls of the circles are too low for that purpose. And although some cairns were once found near one of the Big Circles, those cairns were younger than the circular structure itself.

Unlike something like Stonehenge, researchers believe the circles were easy to build, but still required planning because of their almost perfect circular shapes.

"In the case of those circles that [are] near-precise circles, it would have required at least one person as 'architect,'" says researcher David Kennedy.

Kennedy explained that this person would have marked the circles first by attaching a rope to a pole and walking around it. This also explains why the circles aren't exactly perfect due to areas where uneven ground got in the way.

The circles aren't just limited to Jordan, however. They appear throughout the Middle East. Previous photographs show a similar circle in Syria, too. There are also similar smaller circles throughout the region. The Middle East has other stone structures, too, from wheel-like circles to cairns to mysterious mile-long walls that seem to serve no purpose.

"These are not natural things," Kennedy says. "Occasionally we have found artifacts nearby.... They can't just be a coincidence. There's some purpose behind it. But we can't figure out what it is."

Perhaps further research and fieldwork will solve the mysteries of the Big Circles of the Middle East. Or perhaps these Huge Circles remain yet another untold story of our ancient past.

Photos Credit: APAAME