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CategoriesRock-cut sites
Temples, tombs and churches carved directly from living rock.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Northern Dynasties to Tang (550 – 907 CE) · Northern Qi, Sui, Tang (central Shanxi Buddhist)
Taiyuan 25 caves with Northern Qi wet-drape bodhisattvas 550–907 CE.
🇫🇷 France · Rock-cut
Chalcolithic (3000-2300 BCE) · Chalcolithic
Hypogee des Crottes de Rouaix II — Eastern Outlier in Provence, Vaucluse, France is a Chalcolithic (3000-2300 BCE) rock_cut attributed to Chalcolithic.
🇫🇷 France · Rock-cut
Chalcolithic (3000-2300 BCE) · Chalcolithic
Hypogee des Crottes de Rouaix II — Northern Annex in Provence, Vaucluse, France is a Chalcolithic (3000-2300 BCE) rock_cut attributed to Chalcolithic.
🇨🇳 China · Temple complex
Sixteen Kingdoms to Early Tang · Western Qin, Northern Wei, Northern Zhou, Sui, Tang
8-km-upstream Western Qin cliff with 420 CE earliest murals above reservoir.
🇮🇳 India · Rock-cut
Early Medieval (Gupta–Kalchuri) · Shaivite Brahminical after Buddhist vihara phase
Mumbai megalithic 6th-c Hindu cave 47×32 m with 6 pillars, largest Jogeshwari early Shiva adaptation.
🇪🇹 Ethiopia · Rock-cut
Medieval (1100-1300 CE) · Zagwe
Lalibela Biete Qeddus Mercoreos Cliff Cell Annex in Amhara, Lalibela, Ethiopia is a Medieval (1100-1300 CE) rock_cut attributed to Zagwe.
🇫🇷 France · Rock-cut
Chalcolithic (3000-2300 BCE) · Chalcolithic
Hypogee des Crottes de Rouaix II in Provence, Vaucluse, France is a Chalcolithic (3000-2300 BCE) rock_cut attributed to Chalcolithic.
🇨🇳 China · Temple complex
Tang (post-An Lushan) · Late Tang Jiedushi patronised Buddhist
North spur 8-cave late Tang group with Tianlong's only caitya pillar and wet-drape naturalism.
🇨🇳 China · Temple complex
Sixteen Kingdoms to Tang · Hexi Buddhist (Xiliang, N Wei, Sui, Tang)
1.2-km-west thousand-niche vertical cliff with 1200 Buddhas and Tang malachite murals.
🇹🇷 Turkey · Temple complex
Roman–Syriac (1st–5th century CE) with Bronze/Iron Age antecedents · Harranian Sabian / Edessan Aramaean → Roman / Byzantine
Tektek hilltop Sin-cult oasis with seven baetyl sanctuaries and Syriac rock inscriptions.
🇮🇱 Israel · Ancient city
Hasmonean to Roman (2nd c. BCE–73 CE; Herodian peak) · Hasmonean Jewish → Herodian (Idumaean-Jewish client of Rome) → Sicarii → Roman legion → Byzantine monks
Herod's 440 m mesa fortress over Dead Sea — hanging palaces, desert cisterns and preserved Roman siege ramp.
🇯🇵 Japan · Tumulus
Kofun Middle–Late 350–550 CE (Northern Kyushu–Genkai) · Northern Kyushu Kofun (Genkai–Itoshima)
Genkai coast 55 m keyhole (350–550 CE) at Iwakura hill Fukuoka — corridor with Sue ware, iron armor and haniwa house model bridging Yayoi to Yamato.
🇿🇼 Zimbabwe · Temple complex
Early Historic (regional) · Early Historic
Inner Great Zimbabwe Fortress Central — Great Zimbabwe (57-17) at Great Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe is a Early Historic (regional) temple complex of the Early Historic tradition, built c.
🇵🇸 Palestine · Ancient village
Iron Age to Roman (8th c. BCE–68 CE; peak Hasmonaean–Herodian) · Israelite → Hasmonaean/Essene (Yahad) sect (possibly Sadducean debate) → Roman destruction
Essene terrace settlement feeding 11 cliff caves that yielded 972 Dead Sea Scrolls.
🇹🇷 Turkey · Tomb
Early Historic (regional) · Early Historic
Upper Derinkuyu Temple Central — Derinkuyu, Cappadocia (59-20) at Derinkuyu, Cappadocia, Turkey is a Early Historic (regional) tomb of the Early Historic tradition, built c.
🇿🇼 Zimbabwe · Temple complex
Medieval (regional) · Medieval
Old Great Zimbabwe Necropolis Outer — Great Zimbabwe (57-40) at Great Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe is a Medieval (regional) temple complex of the Medieval tradition, built c.
🇹🇷 Turkey · Tomb
Iron Age (regional) · Iron Age
Outer Derinkuyu Fortress Inner — Derinkuyu, Cappadocia (59-02) at Derinkuyu, Cappadocia, Turkey is a Iron Age (regional) tomb of the Iron Age tradition, built c.
🇪🇬 Egypt · Tomb
Neolithic (regional) · Neolithic
Lower Saqqara Necropolis Inner — Saqqara, Serapeum (59-46) at Saqqara, Serapeum, Egypt is a Neolithic (regional) tomb of the Neolithic tradition, built c.
🇲🇹 Malta · Tomb
Chalcolithic (regional) · Chalcolithic
Great Hypogeum Fortress North — Hypogeum, Paola (59-34) at Hypogeum, Paola, Malta is a Chalcolithic (regional) tomb of the Chalcolithic tradition, built c.
🇲🇹 Malta · Tomb
Chalcolithic (regional) · Chalcolithic
Eastern Hypogeum Citadel North — Hypogeum, Paola (59-05) at Hypogeum, Paola, Malta is a Chalcolithic (regional) tomb of the Chalcolithic tradition, built c.
🇬🇪 Georgia · Ancient city
Hellenistic Iberia to Early Medieval (4th c. BCE–8th c. CE; peak 1st–4th c. CE) · Kartvelian Iberian (Eastern Georgian) → Hellenistic influence → Roman client → Sasanian interlude → early Christian
Iberian kingdom capitals — Bagineti acropolis and Aramaic bilingual city across Kura gorge.
🇲🇱 Mali · Temple complex
Neolithic (regional) · Neolithic
Royal Djenné-Jeno Village Outer — Djenné-Jeno (57-44) at Djenné-Jeno, Mali is a Neolithic (regional) temple complex of the Neolithic tradition, built c. 800 BCE for village and associated settlement.
🇹🇷 Turkey · Ancient city
Assyrian to Ottoman (12th c. BCE–1920); peak Artukid–Ayyubid 12th–13th century · Assyrian → Roman → Byzantine → Artukid Kurdish → Ayyubid → Ottoman
Cliff-cut Tigris citadel with 10,000 caves, Artukid bridge and salvage-relocated Timurid tomb now under reservoir.
🇲🇱 Mali · Temple complex
Iron Age (regional) · Iron Age
New Djenné-Jeno Enclosure B — Djenné-Jeno (57-25) at Djenné-Jeno, Mali is a Iron Age (regional) temple complex of the Iron Age tradition, built c. 200 CE for enclosure and associated settlement.
