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CategoriesRock-cut sites
Temples, tombs and churches carved directly from living rock.
🇯🇴 Jordan · Ancient city
Nabataean to Roman (312 BCE–363 CE earthquake) · Nabataean / Arab
Nabataean caravan city (312 BCE–106 CE) carved into sandstone cliffs: Al-Khazneh Treasury, Theatre, Monastery Ad-Deir, Royal Tombs, and hydraulic system capturing desert flash floods.
🇯🇴 Jordan · Temple complex
Nabataean 1st c BCE–1st c CE · Nabataean
Detailed precinct within Petra (already listed as city) – but as distinct temple elaboration: Al-Khazneh 40 m façade and Ad-Deir 50 m, both tombs-temples with Hellenistic façades.
🇹🇷 Turkey · Rock-cut
Commagene (80–50 BCE Antiochus I) · Commagene Greek-Persian syncretism
Arsameia excavated by Dörner & Young 1935–64, inscription records founding by Arsames c.230 BCE and Antiochus reshaping.
🇯🇴 Jordan · Rock-cut
Nabataean (1st c. BCE–1st c. CE; Treasury c.56 BCE Aretas IV) · Nabataean
Siq-end Treasury excavated by Horsfield 1929 and recent, empty tombs, annex row with loculi and triclinia.
🇪🇹 Ethiopia · Temple complex
Zagwe dynasty · Ethiopian Orthodox
11 medieval monolithic rock-cut churches chiselled from tuff into trenches, connected by tunnels, built for King Lalibela as New Jerusalem pilgrimage site; UNESCO 1978.
