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CategoriesAncient cities
Capitals, ports and metropolises that rose, fell and were found again.
🇮🇶 Iraq · Ancient city
Late Chalcolithic (4000-3100 BCE) · Uruk Period
Uruk Anu Ziggurat Terrace North Annex — Western Terrace in Al Muthanna, Warka, Iraq is a Late Chalcolithic (4000-3100 BCE) ancient city attributed to Uruk Period.
🇬🇹 Guatemala · Ancient city
Middle Preclassic to Early Classic (600 BCE – 150 CE) · Maya (Mirador Basin)
El Mirador in Petén, Guatemala is a Middle Preclassic to Early Classic (600 BCE – 150 CE) ancient city attributed to Maya (Mirador Basin) culture.
🇬🇷 Greece · Buried city
Early Bronze to Classical (c.2600 – 373 BCE) · Achaean Greek
373 BCE tsunami-lost Helike — Classical city and EBA settlement both buried 3 m under Bouras lagoonal marine silt 60 m inland, originally submerged.
🇪🇸 Spain · Ancient city
Chalcolithic (3200-2300 BCE) · Los Millares Culture
Los Millares Bastion South Gate — Western Terrace in Andalusia, Almeria, Spain is a Chalcolithic (3200-2300 BCE) ancient city attributed to Los Millares Culture.
🇿🇦 South Africa · Ancient city
Medieval (1075-1220 CE) · Mapungubwe
Mapungubwe Hill Summit Enclosure South Annex — Northern Annex in Limpopo, Musina, South Africa is a Medieval (1075-1220 CE) ancient city attributed to Mapungubwe.
🇪🇬 Egypt · Submerged site
New Kingdom to Roman (c. 1500 BCE – 400 CE) · Egyptian New Kingdom / Philistine / Ptolemaic / Roman
Sinai gate lagoon harbour – Bardawil quay walls and fish-salting vats at –1 m guarding Via Maris.
🇮🇶 Iraq · Ancient city
Late Chalcolithic (4000-3100 BCE) · Uruk Period
Uruk Anu Ziggurat Terrace North Annex — Eastern Outlier in Al Muthanna, Warka, Iraq is a Late Chalcolithic (4000-3100 BCE) ancient city attributed to Uruk Period.
🇮🇶 Iraq · Ancient city
Late Chalcolithic (4000-3100 BCE) · Uruk Period
Uruk Anu Ziggurat Terrace North Annex — Northern Annex in Al Muthanna, Warka, Iraq is a Late Chalcolithic (4000-3100 BCE) ancient city attributed to Uruk Period.
🇲🇽 Mexico · Ancient city
Late Classic (c.400–900 CE) Usumacinta kingdom · Maya (Usumacinta – Pacal's rival)
Yaxchilan (ancient Pa' Chan, cleft sky) crowns a horseshoe meander of the Usumacinta in Chiapas at 120 m, 35 km by river from Frontera Corozal.
🇹🇳 Tunisia · Ancient city
Bronze Age to Byzantine (legionary 1st–2nd c; civil to 7th c) · Berber / Roman / Byzantine; dolmens Berber
Frontier legion fortress 14 CE of Legio III Augusta with Byzantine mega-fort and 100+ Bronze Age haouanet dolmens on hills.
🇿🇦 South Africa · Ancient city
Medieval (1075-1220 CE) · Mapungubwe
Mapungubwe Hill Summit Enclosure South Annex — Eastern Outlier in Limpopo, Musina, South Africa is a Medieval (1075-1220 CE) ancient city attributed to Mapungubwe.
🇿🇦 South Africa · Ancient city
Medieval (1075-1220 CE) · Mapungubwe
Mapungubwe Hill Summit Enclosure South Annex — Western Terrace in Limpopo, Musina, South Africa is a Medieval (1075-1220 CE) ancient city attributed to Mapungubwe.
🇲🇽 Mexico · Temple complex
Postclassic (c.1200–1521 CE) Late Postclassic Cozumel–Mayapan league · Maya (East Coast – Cozumel)
San Gervasio (Tantún Cuzamil) is Cozumel island's paramount Late Postclassic pilgrimage capital at 15 m interior, 7 km west of San Miguel, Quintana Roo.
🇮🇷 Iran · Ancient city
Early Bronze Age (3200-1800 BCE) · Helmand Culture
Shahr-e Sukhteh Workshop Quarter East Annex — Western Terrace in Sistan, Zabul, Iran is a Early Bronze Age (3200-1800 BCE) ancient city attributed to Helmand Culture.
🇲🇷 Mauritania · Ancient city
Medieval (800-1200 CE) · Ghana Empire
Koumbi Saleh Market Enclosure East Wall Annex in Hodh Ech Chargui, Nema, Mauritania is a Medieval (800-1200 CE) ancient city attributed to Ghana Empire.
🇪🇸 Spain · Ancient city
Chalcolithic (3200-2300 BCE) · Los Millares Culture
Los Millares Bastion South Gate — Northern Annex in Andalusia, Almeria, Spain is a Chalcolithic (3200-2300 BCE) ancient city attributed to Los Millares Culture.
🇮🇳 India · Ancient city
Harappan Early-Mature (3200-1900 BCE) · Harappan
Rakhigarhi Citadel Mound Annex 7 South — Southern Extension in Haryana, Hisar, India is a Harappan Early-Mature (3200-1900 BCE) ancient city attributed to Harappan.
🇮🇷 Iran · Ancient city
Early Bronze Age (3200-1800 BCE) · Helmand Culture
Shahr-e Sukhteh Workshop Quarter East Annex — Northern Annex in Sistan, Zabul, Iran is a Early Bronze Age (3200-1800 BCE) ancient city attributed to Helmand Culture.
🇿🇼 Zimbabwe · Ancient city
Zimbabwe Culture Period V (Khami-Rozvi transition 1693–1830) · Rozvi (Karanga-Changamire) / Kalanga
Rozvi Changamire capital 1693–1830 with quartzite coursed walls 6 m and Portuguese majolica within 8 ha enclosure.
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia · Ancient city
Classical (500 BCE-500 CE) · South Arabian
Najran Al-Ukhdood Northern Enclosure — Southern Extension in Najran, Najran, Saudi Arabia is a Classical (500 BCE-500 CE) ancient city attributed to South Arabian.
🇿🇦 South Africa · Ancient city
Late Medieval (1400-1700 CE) · Thulamela
Thulamela Stone Citadel Annex East — Southern Extension in Limpopo, Kruger, South Africa is a Late Medieval (1400-1700 CE) ancient city attributed to Thulamela.
🇷🇺 Russia · Submerged site
Archaic to Late Antique (600 BCE – 400 CE) · Ionian Greek / Bosporan
Southern Strait mole of Hermonassa on Tuzla South — 180 m rubble mole at –3 m controlling Kerch Strait.
🇷🇺 Russia · Submerged site
Archaic to Late Antique (600 BCE – 400 CE) · Ionian Greek / Bosporan
Southern Strait mole of Hermonassa on Tuzla South — 180 m rubble mole at –3 m controlling Kerch Strait.
🇨🇱 Chile · Ancient village
Late Pleistocene 14,800–13,000 BP (MV-II 14,800 BP; MV-I earlier claim 33,000 BP contested) · Late Paleoindian (pre-Clovis; Monte Verde culture, Austral–Magellanic hunter-gatherers)
Earliest securely dated settlement in Americas (14,800–14,500 BP) – late Pleistocene campsite on paleo-channel terrace in southern Chile with preserved tent floors (3 structures 30 m² total,…
