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CategoriesRock-cut sites
Temples, tombs and churches carved directly from living rock.
🇹🇷 Turkey · Rock-cut
Roman to Artuqid (200 BCE–1400 CE); tombs Roman · Roman / Artuqid
Tigris cliff town rescue excavations 2000–19, Roman tombs and Artuqid palaces now under Ilısu Lake with relocated Zeynel Bey tomb.
🇯🇴 Jordan · Temple complex
Nabataean (7 BCE–250 CE) · Nabataean
Khirbet et-Tannur — Mountain Shrine in Tafilah Governorate, Edom Mountains, Jordan is a Nabataean (7 BCE–250 CE) temple complex attributed to Nabataean culture.
🇹🇷 Turkey · Rock-cut
Lycian / Karian (4th c. BCE) · Carian–Lycian border Kaunos
Kaunos — Rock Tomb Annexe at Dalyan Lake Channel in Muğla Province, Turkey is a Lycian / Karian (4th c. BCE) rock_cut attributed to Carian–Lycian border Kaunos.
🇮🇳 India · Rock-cut
Gupta–Kalachuri (530 CE) · Shaivite Hindu (Brahmanical)
Mandapeshwar Cave — Borivali in Maharashtra, India is a Gupta–Kalachuri (530 CE) rock_cut attributed to Shaivite Hindu (Brahmanical).
🇮🇳 India · Rock-cut
Hinayana Buddhist, Satavahana period 2nd c. BCE – 2nd c. CE · Buddhist (Theravada) merchants and Satavahana dynasty
India's largest Buddhist chaitya hall (45 m) with original timber ribs, 1st c. BCE–CE.
🇮🇳 India · Rock-cut
Mauryan to Gupta (200 BCE–500 CE) · Jain (Kharavela)
Ranigumpha — Khandagiri Rear Cave Cluster in Odisha, India is a Mauryan to Gupta (200 BCE–500 CE) rock_cut attributed to Jain (Kharavela).
🇹🇷 Turkey · Rock-cut
Lycian (500 BCE–200 CE) · Lycian (Pinara)
Pinara — Rock Tombs Minaret Extension in Muğla Province, Turkey is a Lycian (500 BCE–200 CE) rock_cut attributed to Lycian (Pinara). Minaret village rock tombs 20+ pigeon-hole tombs.
🇯🇴 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.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Northern Wei to Song (Six Dynasties to Tang) · Northern Wei Tuoba Sinicized Buddhist; Tang Chinese
Northern Wei 5 caves 774 icons 503–520 with emperor–empress procession as Bodhisattva and Tang thousand Buddhas.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Northern Wei to Tang (Northern Dynasties 386–581 to Tang) · Northern Wei Tuoba Xianbei then Sui–Tang Han Chinese Buddhist; Guyuan Silk Road garrison
Ningxia 162 caves 5th–9th c. with 20.6-m Dafo Tang colossus tower and Northern Wei apsaras, Liupan Silk gate.
🇮🇳 India · Rock-cut
Badami Chalukya (543–753 CE) · Badami Chalukya Shaiva (Nataraja) and Jain; Pulakeshin II
Chalukya lab 540–745: Ravanaphadi 6th c. earliest Nataraja cave and 125 structural trials with 634 CE Ravikirti Meguti stone.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Kucha–Tocharian to Tang–Uyghur (5th–11th c.) · Tocharian Kuchan Buddhist (Sarvastivada Dharmaguptaka) later Uyghur Mahayana
Kucha 112 caves 450–1100 with diamond vault Maitreya and pipa musicians on Weigan gorge, Kizil's sister.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Sixteen Kingdoms to Ming · Western Qin, Northern Wei, Western Xia, Tibetan, Ming
Liujia Gorge 27-m Tang Maitreya and 420 CE Western Qin mandala caves above Yellow River reservoir, 183 caves.
🇮🇳 India · Rock-cut
Early Medieval Indian (Vakataka–Chalukya Buddhism) · Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhist monastic (Sopara branch)
Kanheri northern 11-cave rainy-season retreat 500–700 CE with chaitya and channel cisterns.
🇯🇴 Jordan · Rock-cut
Nabataean kingdom
Ed-Deir (Arabic: الدير, lit. 'The Monastery'), also spelled el-Deir and ad-Deir/ad-Dayr, is a monumental building carved out of rock in the ancient city of Petra in southern Jordan.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Sixteen Kingdoms to Yuan (420 – 1368 CE) · Northern Liang Han, Tuyuhun Xianbei, Tibetan, Uyghur, Western Xia Tangut, Mongol
Hexi cliff 31 conglomerate caves with 33 Heavens Pagoda and Gesar hoof legend, 420 CE–Yuan.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Northern Dynasties to Tang (550 – 907 CE) · Northern Qi, Sui, Tang
Handan limestone 38 Northern Qi caves with 30-cm undercut floating drape 550–577 CE.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Northern Dynasties to Tang · Northern Qi–Tang northern Shanxi Buddhist
Taiyuan Heavenly Dragon western 8-cave extension 560–750 with 1924 removal and scaffolding holes.
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia · Rock-cut
Iron Age (900-100 BCE) · Lihyanite/Dedanite
Al Ula Dedan Necropolis Lion Tomb Access Ridge — Western Terrace in Al Ula, Medina, Saudi Arabia is a Iron Age (900-100 BCE) rock_cut attributed to Lihyanite/Dedanite.
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia · Rock-cut
Iron Age (900-100 BCE) · Lihyanite/Dedanite
Al Ula Dedan Necropolis Lion Tomb Access Ridge — Eastern Outlier in Al Ula, Medina, Saudi Arabia is a Iron Age (900-100 BCE) rock_cut attributed to Lihyanite/Dedanite.
🇮🇹 Italy · Rock-cut
Late Bronze Age (1300-800 BCE) · Sicel Culture
Pantalica Anaktoron South Necropolis Ridge — Southern Extension in Sicily, Syracuse, Italy is a Late Bronze Age (1300-800 BCE) rock_cut attributed to Sicel Culture.
🇮🇹 Italy · Rock-cut
Late Bronze Age (1300-800 BCE) · Sicel Culture
Pantalica Anaktoron South Necropolis Ridge — Western Terrace in Sicily, Syracuse, Italy is a Late Bronze Age (1300-800 BCE) rock_cut attributed to Sicel Culture.
🇪🇹 Ethiopia · Rock-cut
Medieval (1100-1300 CE) · Zagwe
Lalibela Biete Qeddus Mercoreos Cliff Cell Annex — Western Terrace in Amhara, Lalibela, Ethiopia is a Medieval (1100-1300 CE) rock_cut attributed to Zagwe.
🇨🇳 China · Temple complex
Sixteen Kingdoms to Song · Later Qin, Northern Wei, Western Wei, Sui, Tang, Five Dynasties, Song
Sheer west face 80 m with 72 hanging grottoes on plank balconies — Maijishan postcard cliff.
