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CategoriesAncient cities
Capitals, ports and metropolises that rose, fell and were found again.
🇲🇱 Mali · Ancient city
Medieval (regional) · Medieval
Lower Djenné-Jeno Temple Central — Djenné-Jeno (57-47) at Djenné-Jeno, Mali is a Medieval (regional) ancient city of the Medieval tradition, built c. 200 CE for temple and associated settlement.
🇹🇷 Turkey · Ancient city
Classical Lycian to Byzantine · Lycian → Hellenistic Greek → Roman → Byzantine
Lycian cliff-tomb metropolis of St Nicholas with river theatre and purple-dye port granary.
🇲🇹 Malta · Ancient city
Classical (regional) · Classical
Royal Hypogeum Ridge I — Hypogeum, Paola (59-21) at Hypogeum, Paola, Malta is a Classical (regional) ancient city of the Classical tradition, built c. 800 CE for ridge and associated settlement.
🇳🇬 Nigeria · Ancient city
Late Medieval Hausa Banza Bakwai (15th–early 18th c. CE) · Hausa (Kabawa–Kebbi)
Surame (15th–16th c.) is the 9 km² walled capital of Muhammadu Kanta's Kebbi Empire (c. 1516), the sole Hausa Banza Bakwai state to defeat Songhai (Battle of Jebbe).
🇸🇾 Syria · Ancient city
Uruk to Mitanni · Tell Brak / Nagar
Tell Brak Nagar Central Mound at Hassakeh, Tell Brak, Syria is a Uruk to Mitanni ancient city of the Tell Brak / Nagar tradition, built c. 3900 BCE for major urban centre 130 ha with eye temple.
🇸🇩 Sudan · Ancient city
Middle Kingdom · 12th Dynasty Egyptian
Buhen Fortress Nubia Second Cataract at Nubia, Buhen, Sudan is a Middle Kingdom ancient city of the 12th Dynasty Egyptian tradition, built c. 1850 BCE for great fortress 150 m with moat glacis.
🇪🇹 Ethiopia · Ancient city
Bronze Age (regional) · Bronze Age
Old Lalibela Village Inner — Lalibela (59-25) at Lalibela, Ethiopia is a Bronze Age (regional) ancient city of the Bronze Age tradition, built c. 2500 BCE for village and associated settlement.
🇵🇪 Peru · Ancient city
Early Historic (regional) · Early Historic
Sacred Cuzco Enclosure West — Cuzco (55-31) at Cuzco, Peru is a Early Historic (regional) ancient city of the Early Historic tradition, built c. 800 BCE for enclosure and associated settlement.
🇮🇷 Iran · Ancient city
Bronze Age to Classical (3000 BCE–500 CE) · Bronze Age urban
Shahr-i Sokhta — Burnt Palace East Wing in Sistan and Baluchestan, Zabol, Shahr-i Sokhta, Iran is a Bronze Age to Classical (3000 BCE–500 CE) ancient city …
🇪🇹 Ethiopia · Ancient city
Classical (regional) · Classical
Southern Lalibela Hilltop II — Lalibela (59-50) at Lalibela, Ethiopia is a Classical (regional) ancient city of the Classical tradition, built c. 3000 BCE for hilltop and associated settlement.
🇯🇵 Japan · Ancient city
Bronze Age (regional) · Bronze Age
Western Nara Fortress II — Nara, Asuka (54-33) at Nara, Asuka, Japan is a Bronze Age (regional) ancient city of the Bronze Age tradition, built c. 800 CE for fortress and associated settlement.
🇰🇭 Cambodia · Ancient city
Iron Age (regional) · Iron Age
Eastern Siem Reap Village I — Siem Reap (54-31) at Siem Reap, Cambodia is a Iron Age (regional) ancient city of the Iron Age tradition, built c. 2500 BCE for village and associated settlement.
🇬🇹 Guatemala · Ancient city
Preclassic–Late Classic · Maya (Saal dynasty)
Aggressive Classic superpower capital Sa'aal (500 BCE–950 CE), 180 m hill above Holmul valley with 19 palaces, hieroglyphic stairway recording 45 star-war defeats by Lady Six Sky,...
🇪🇬 Egypt · Ancient city
Predynastic to Greco-Roman to Medieval · Egyptian (Libyan → Saite renaissance → Persian)
Cult centre of Neith and capital of 26th (Saite) Dynasty (664–525 BCE) — Egypt's Late Period renaissance metropolis that reconquered to Aswan and traded with Greeks at Naukratis.
🇺🇸 United States · Ancient city
Bronze Age to Classical (3000 BCE–500 CE) · Bronze Age urban; Mississippian
Cahokia — Mound 34 Copper Workshop East (St. Louis) in Illinois, St. Clair County, Cahokia, United States is a Bronze Age to Classical (3000 BCE–500 CE) an…
🇲🇽 Mexico · Ancient city
Medieval (regional) · Medieval
Central Yucatan Reservoir East — Yucatan (55-32) at Yucatan, Mexico is a Medieval (regional) ancient city of the Medieval tradition, built c. 3000 BCE for reservoir and associated settlement.
🇰🇭 Cambodia · Ancient city
Medieval (regional) · Medieval
Northern Siem Reap Village A — Siem Reap (54-34) at Siem Reap, Cambodia is a Medieval (regional) ancient city of the Medieval tradition, built c. 800 CE for village and associated settlement.
🇲🇽 Mexico · Pyramid
Late Classic Maya (Río Bec) · Maya (Río Bec)
Type-site false-tower pyramid Structure V-N at Río Bec — 8 m solid-tower platform pyramid c.650–850 CE anchoring 100-structure Río Bec city.
🇸🇾 Syria · Ancient city
Early Bronze · Hurrian / Tell Chuera
Tell Chuera Hurrian City at Raqqa, Tell Chuera, Syria is a Early Bronze ancient city of the Hurrian / Tell Chuera tradition, built c. 2800 BCE for walled hurrian city with palace antentempel.
🇬🇷 Greece · Submerged site
Mycenaean to Late Roman (Opus Mycenaean – 426 BCE drown) · Locrian Greek / Mycenaean / Classical
426 BCE quake drowned Lokrian Opus — harbour mole and isthmus now 3–4 m down off Atalanti island.
🇪🇹 Ethiopia · Ancient city
Classical (regional) · Classical
Central Lalibela Citadel II — Lalibela (59-30) at Lalibela, Ethiopia is a Classical (regional) ancient city of the Classical tradition, built c. 200 CE for citadel and associated settlement.
🇸🇾 Syria · Ancient city
Iron Age (regional) · Iron Age
Northern Aleppo Settlement Inner — Aleppo (53-30) at Aleppo, Syria is a Iron Age (regional) ancient city of the Iron Age tradition, built c. 400 BCE for settlement and associated settlement.
🇸🇾 Syria · Ancient city
Middle Bronze Age to Roman (c.1800 BCE–200 CE), peak Iron Age–Assyrian · Hittite → Neo-Hittite Luwian → Neo-Assyrian
Euphrates terrace city 35 ha (Hittite Masuwari → Assyrian Til Barsip, D-shaped walls, Hypogeum).
🇵🇸 Palestine · Ancient city
PPNA · PPNA Jordan Valley
Tell es-Sultan Jericho PPNA Tower at Jericho, West Bank, Palestine is a PPNA ancient city of the PPNA Jordan Valley tradition, built c. 8000 BCE for 8 m ppna stone tower 9 m diam with stair.
