An atlas of Earth’s mysterious places — megaliths, pyramids, lost and sunken cities — with the evidence shown plainly: what is verified, what is contested, and what is still unknown.

Data CC BY-SA 4.0 · Photos per credit

Explore

Atlas map
All places
Categories
Countries
Contested & pseudo

Community

Theories & discussion
Lists
News & resources
Submit a resource

Mysteria

About the atlas
Data & verification
Licenses & credits
Create an account

Search Mysteria

Search places, or jump to a section

Ancient cities · Mysteria

CategoriesAncient cities

Ancient cities

Capitals, ports and metropolises that rose, fell and were found again.

Places: 2,294
Countries: 102
World Heritage: 243

Filters

Verification

Pick several

Verified2,183 Widely accepted77 Contested8 Hypothetical18 Unverified0 Pseudoarchaeology8

2,294 places · page 39 of 96

🇮🇳India

Unexcavated

🇬🇪 Georgia · Submerged site

Pitiunt (Bichvinta) – Submerged Fortress Basilica of Georgia

Greek to Byzantine (6th c. BCE Greek emporion – 14th c. patriarchate) · Milesian Greek / Roman / Byzantine Colchian–Abkhaz

Northernmost Black Sea Roman fortress — east wall and mole now –0.5 to –4 m on Pitsunda lagoon-sea spit.

✓Verified

🇩🇿 Algeria · Ancient city

Sigus (Sigus)

Numidian to Late Antique (3rd c BCE-7th c CE; industrial peak 1st-3rd c CE) · Numidian / Roman

Pottery Sigus.

✓Verified

🇲🇹 Malta · Ancient city

Western Hypogeum Necropolis Inner — Hypogeum, Paola (59-09)

Early Historic (regional) · Early Historic

Western Hypogeum Necropolis Inner — Hypogeum, Paola (59-09) at Hypogeum, Paola, Malta is a Early Historic (regional) ancient city of the Early Historic tradition, built c.

✓Verified

🇵🇹 Portugal · Ancient city

Citânia de Briteiros — Guimarães

Iron Age to Roman (c.800 BCE–300 CE) · Castro culture (Bracari, Celtic Lusitanian transition)

Citânia de Briteiros (Iron Age c.800 BCE–300 CE, peak 200 BCE–100 CE) sprawls 24 ha over Monte São Romão 385 m above the Ave valley, northern Portugal's largest proto-urban castro with three ramparts…

✓Verified

🇹🇷 Turkey · Ancient city

Great Derinkuyu Fortress Outer — Derinkuyu, Cappadocia (59-43)

Classical (regional) · Classical

Great Derinkuyu Fortress Outer — Derinkuyu, Cappadocia (59-43) at Derinkuyu, Cappadocia, Turkey is a Classical (regional) ancient city of the Classical tradition, built c.

✓Verified

🇮🇳 India · Ancient city

Lower Rajasthan Necropolis A — Rajasthan, Jaipur (54-43)

Early Historic (regional) · Early Historic

Lower Rajasthan Necropolis A — Rajasthan, Jaipur (54-43) at Rajasthan, Jaipur, India is a Early Historic (regional) ancient city of the Early Historic tradition, built c.

✓Verified

🇷🇺 Russia · Submerged site

Patrai — Strait Emporium Submerged (Kerch Strait Taman Shore)

Archaic to Roman (c.550 BCE – 240 CE) · Ionian Greek / Bosporan

Kerch Strait narrows emporium — lower harbour 1.5–4 m submerged on Taman spit opposite Kerch, controls Bosporus passage.

✓Verified

🇲🇽 Mexico · Ancient city

Becán

Late Classic to Terminal/Postclassic 550–1200 CE (Río Bec apogee 730–830) · Maya (Río Bec–Chenés, between Calakmul and Chenés region)

Major Río Bec–Chenés fortified Maya capital surrounded by unique 2 km-long, 16 m-wide, 5 m-deep continuous ditch-moat (English ‘Be’ecs ditch’) enclosing 25 ha core – only fully ditched major Maya…

✓VerifiedUNESCO

🇹🇲 Turkmenistan · Ancient city

Konye-Urgench (Kunya-Urgench)

Achaemenid 5th c BCE → Khwarezmshahs 11th–13th c CE → Golden Horde · Khwarezmian → Seljuk → Khwarezmshahs → Mongol

Konye-Urgench — capital of Khwarezm (Achaemenid–Golden Horde, 5th c BCE–17th c CE) 35 km south Uzbekistan border, excavated 1930s Tolstov and 1990s Berlin.

✓Verified

🇲🇽 Mexico · Pyramid

Teopanzolco Pyramid Complex (Cuernavaca)

Late Postclassic (Tlahuica / Aztec) · Tlahuica / Aztec

Tlahuica twin-temple pyramid at Teopanzolco — 35×25 m double pyramid c.1200 CE with 11 nests; 2017 earthquake revealed hidden Tlaloc temple.

✓Verified

🇹🇷 Turkey · Ancient city

Great Derinkuyu Sanctuary North — Derinkuyu, Cappadocia (59-47)

Medieval (regional) · Medieval

Great Derinkuyu Sanctuary North — Derinkuyu, Cappadocia (59-47) at Derinkuyu, Cappadocia, Turkey is a Medieval (regional) ancient city of the Medieval tradition, built c.

✓Verified

🇹🇷 Turkey · Ancient city

Royal Derinkuyu Reservoir Inner — Derinkuyu, Cappadocia (59-48)

Medieval (regional) · Medieval

Royal Derinkuyu Reservoir Inner — Derinkuyu, Cappadocia (59-48) at Derinkuyu, Cappadocia, Turkey is a Medieval (regional) ancient city of the Medieval tradition, built c.

✓Verified

🇪🇬 Egypt · Ancient city

Southern Saqqara Sanctuary East — Saqqara, Serapeum (59-06)

Chalcolithic (regional) · Chalcolithic

Southern Saqqara Sanctuary East — Saqqara, Serapeum (59-06) at Saqqara, Serapeum, Egypt is a Chalcolithic (regional) ancient city of the Chalcolithic tradition, built c.

✓Verified

🇸🇾 Syria · Ancient city

Tell Chuera (Chuera / Khuera)

Early Bronze Jezirah 0–III (Chalcolithic to Early Dyn to Akkadian) · North Mesopotamian Jezirah (Ebla-Mari world)

Circular double-walled Early Bronze city (c.3400–2200 BCE, EJ 0–III) in 130mm rainfall steppe — proof Jezirah cities flourished without southern irrigation via dry-farming + wadi runoff.

✓Verified

🇪🇬 Egypt · Ancient city

Upper Saqqara Enclosure II — Saqqara, Serapeum (59-15)

Early Historic (regional) · Early Historic

Upper Saqqara Enclosure II — Saqqara, Serapeum (59-15) at Saqqara, Serapeum, Egypt is a Early Historic (regional) ancient city of the Early Historic tradition, built c.

✓Verified

🇹🇳 Tunisia · Ancient city

Acholla

Punic to Byzantine (5th c. BCE–7th c. CE; peak 2nd–4th c. CE) · Punic / Roman / Byzantine

Acholla (Henchir Botria/Boutria) is a coastal Byzacena city founded Punic 5th c. BCE and Roman colonia, famed for its Trajanic amphitheatre (one of Africa's largest, ~6,000 seats), Byzantine fortress…

✓Verified

🇹🇳 Tunisia · Submerged site

Acholla – Submerged Harbour of Ras Boutria

Punic to Byzantine (5th c. BCE – 6th c. CE) · Punic / Roman Byzacena

Tyrian purple-dye port with murex basins and moles half in surf at Ras Boutria cape, wealthy enough to mint double coins.

✓Verified

🇿🇼 Zimbabwe · Ancient city

Great Great Zimbabwe Citadel North — Great Zimbabwe (57-13)

Chalcolithic (regional) · Chalcolithic

Great Great Zimbabwe Citadel North — Great Zimbabwe (57-13) at Great Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe is a Chalcolithic (regional) ancient city of the Chalcolithic tradition, built c.

✓Verified

🇿🇼 Zimbabwe · Ancient city

Inner Great Zimbabwe Enclosure Outer — Great Zimbabwe (57-14)

Bronze Age (regional) · Bronze Age

Inner Great Zimbabwe Enclosure Outer — Great Zimbabwe (57-14) at Great Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe is a Bronze Age (regional) ancient city of the Bronze Age tradition, built c.

✓Verified

🇿🇼 Zimbabwe · Ancient city

Inner Great Zimbabwe Necropolis West — Great Zimbabwe (57-37)

Bronze Age (regional) · Bronze Age

Inner Great Zimbabwe Necropolis West — Great Zimbabwe (57-37) at Great Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe is a Bronze Age (regional) ancient city of the Bronze Age tradition, built c.

✓Verified

🇺🇸 United States · Ancient city

Little Chaco Canyon Citadel Inner — Chaco Canyon (55-12)

Chalcolithic (regional) · Chalcolithic

Little Chaco Canyon Citadel Inner — Chaco Canyon (55-12) at Chaco Canyon, United States is a Chalcolithic (regional) ancient city of the Chalcolithic tradition, built c.

✓Verified

🇳🇪 Niger · Ancient city

Teguidda-n-Tessoumt

Iron Age to Medieval (500 BCE–1600 CE) · Tuareg / Hausa / pre-Tuareg herders

Salt-production town with 3,500 clay pans from 500 BCE and iron horizon, twin of Azelik copper.

✓Verified

🇲🇽 Mexico · Ancient city

Tenam Puente Maya City

Classic to Early Postclassic (300–1200 CE, walls 900–1200) · Maya (Tojolabal / highland Chiapas)

Fortified Late Classic–Postclassic Maya capital (300–1200 CE, fortification 900–1200) crowning limestone hilltop 250 m above Comitán valley: 60+ structures, walled core (60 ha) with 4.5-m-thick…

✓Verified

🇮🇷 Iran · Ancient city

Teppe Hasanlu

Bronze Age to Iron II (Late Bronze–U/A Mannaean; peak Hasanlu IVB Iron II c.1050–800 BCE) · Late Bronze Hurrian–Mitanni substrate → Iron Age Mannaean (Indo-Iranian hint) under Urartian pressure → Assyrian fringe

Solduz hill-citadel torched c.800 BCE — 150 massacre-victims around the Gold Bowl.