🇲🇽 Mexico · Ancient city
La Quemada Archaeological Zone
Classic–Epiclassic 350–900 CE · Northern Mesoamerican frontier
Northern hill fortress Salón de Columnas, 350–900 CE, Chicomóztoc candidate.
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CategoriesAncient cities
Capitals, ports and metropolises that rose, fell and were found again.
🇱🇾 Libya · Ancient city
Greek / Roman / Byzantine · Greek / Roman
Natural rock-harbour of Marmarica, fortress-emporion of Cyrene facing Egypt, later Justinianic fort guarding Via Maris. Classical mole at -1.5 m visible snorkelling; WWII overlays.
🇲🇽 Mexico · Ancient city
Classic–Epiclassic 350–900 CE · Northern Mesoamerican frontier
Northern hill fortress Salón de Columnas, 350–900 CE, Chicomóztoc candidate.
🇪🇹 Ethiopia · Megalith
Aksumite · Aksumite / Ge'ez
Capital of Aksumite Kingdom (100 BCE–940 CE) with monolithic granite stelae quarried 4 km, carved to imitate multi-storey buildings with false doors/windows, elite tombs, palaces.
🇩🇿 Algeria · Ancient city
Punic to Byzantine (4th c BCE – 7th c CE) · Punic / Numidian / Roman
Seybouse spa city with marble-lined north baths (45×35 m), hillside theatre (62 m) restored by Joly 1905, and Byzantine citadel reusing theatre seats. Hot aquae still flow 28°C.
🇰🇷 South Korea · Ancient city
Baekje Sabi Period (538–660 CE; UNESCO) · Baekje (King Seong to Uija)
Buyeo Naseong is Baekje's Sabi capital outer wall (538–660 CE, UNESCO) — 8.5-km earthen and stone wall (6 m high) enclosing 3.2 km² with Busosan Fortress and Neungsan-ri tombs.
🇰🇷 South Korea · Ancient city
Three Kingdoms Baekje (475–660 CE; Ungjin capital 475–538) · Baekje (Ungjin Period, King Munju to Seong)
Gongsanseong is the Baekje mountain–river fortress (475–538 CE, UNESCO) — 1.8-km walls (3.5 m high) on Gongsan hill with palace, pond, and Jumagru beacon above the Geum River.
🇲🇽 Mexico · Pyramid
Late Classic Maya · Maya (Kanul dynasty)
Powerful Classic Maya superpower (capital of Kanul Snake Kingdom, 6th–9th century) with 6,750 structures, twin reservoirs and stelae. Structure II is massive layered pyramid.
🇰🇭 Cambodia · Temple complex
Chenla (Isanapura 616–635 CE) to Angkor · Chenla (Isanapura, King Isanavarman I)
Yeay Lao is one of three walled cities of Isanapura (Samor Prei Kuk, UNESCO 2017) — Chenla capital 616–635 CE, 250×250 m walled enclosure with 3 octagonal brick sanctuaries.
🇺🇸 United States · Earthwork
Mississippian 1000–1450 CE · Mississippian (Angel phase)
42 ha Mississippian walled town 1000–1450 CE.
🇯🇵 Japan · Ancient city
Asuka Period (694–710 CE) · Yamato (Empress Jito to Monmu)
Fujiwara-kyo is Japan's first planned Chinese-grid capital (694–710 CE) — 5×5 km Chang'an-style city with Fujiwara Palace (1 km² Suzaku Boulevard) at 60 m Yamato plain.
🇲🇽 Mexico · Ancient city
Late Postclassic 1350–1530 CE · Purépecha (Tarascan)
Five yácatas on 425 m platform, Tarascan capital 1350–1530 CE.
🇵🇪 Peru · Ancient city
Late Archaic 3000–2500 BCE · Norte Chico (Caral maritime)
Coastal port six pyramids, fish-for-cotton, 3000–2500 BCE.
🇵🇰 Pakistan · Ancient city
Harappan (3300–1300 BCE; mature 2600–1900) · Indus Valley
Type-site of Harappan civilization, walled city on Ravi with citadel, granaries, bead workshops and early example of town planning succeeding pre-Harappan Ravi phase.
🇱🇾 Libya · Ancient city
Roman / Byzantine · Roman
Customs fort marking Tripolitania–Cyrenaica boundary at Syrtis Major where road hugged sea past Arae Philaenorum. Fortlet with bath and cisterns praised by Sallust.
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan · Ancient city
Ferghana Hellenistic to Karakhanid (300 BCE–1200 CE) · Ferghana (Dayuan/Ershi) to Karakhanid
Mingtepa is Ferghana capital Ershi — 35-ha walled city with Greek fort, Sogdian palace, Karakhanid mosque, identified with Chinese Han Ershi and Ferghana horses.
🇵🇪 Peru · Ancient city
Wari Middle Horizon 550–800 CE · Wari (Huari Empire)
50 ha Wari grid city 12 m walls 550–700 CE.
🇩🇿 Algeria · Ancient city
Roman · Roman
Auxilia castra of Cohors II Sardorum on Auzia–Lemellef road controlling Tell–Plateaux pass. Fort 180×140 m with canabae, baths, Gordian III rebuild inscription.
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan · Ancient city
Ferghana medieval (300 BCE–1600 CE) · Ferghana to Samanid to Karakhanid
Akhsikath was Ferghana's medieval capital (9th–12th c) — 30-ha citadel + shahristan with 7-m walls, Syr Darya port and glass workshops, destroyed 1219 Mongol.
🇹🇲 Turkmenistan · Tell
Chalcolithic to Iron Age (5000–500 BCE; Bronze Age city 2500–1500 BCE) · Anau–Namazga to Oxus (BMAC) to Yaz
Ulugh Depe is Turkmenistan's largest tell — 26-m-high (5000 BCE–500 BCE), 13-ha Bronze Age citadel with Yaz I citadel (1500 BCE) and Namazga IV–VI ceramics.
🇵🇪 Peru · Ancient city
Chachapoya 800–1532 CE · Chachapoya
Chachapoya cloud-forest citadel slate-mosaic friezes, UNESCO 548.
🇯🇵 Japan · Ancient city
Nara Period (710–784 CE; UNESCO 1998) · Yamato (Empress Genmei to Kōnin)
Heijo-kyo is Japan's Nara-period capital (710–784 CE, UNESCO) — 4.3×4.8 km Tang Chang'an-grid city with Heijo Palace and Suzakumon gate at 70 m Nara basin.
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan · Ancient city
Karakhanid to Kazakh Khanate (1000–1600 CE) · Karakhanid to Golden Horde to Timurid to Kazakh
Sauran is a Karakhanid–Timurid fortified oasis city (1000–1600 CE) — 3-km rectangular wall (6 m high) with karez hydraulic network feeding Syr Darya plain.
🇲🇽 Mexico · Pyramid
Classic–Postclassic 400 BCE–1200 CE · Toltec frontier
30 m Toltec frontier pyramid four stages 900–1200 CE.
🇵🇪 Peru · Ancient city
Wari → Inca → Neo-Inca 1200–1572 CE · Neo-Inca (Manco Inca)
Last Neo-Inca capital 1536–1572, 12 ha jungle city.
