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CategoriesRock-cut sites
Temples, tombs and churches carved directly from living rock.
🇸🇩 Sudan · Temple complex
Bronze Age (regional) · Bronze Age
Eastern Bayuda Citadel Inner — Bayuda (57-42) at Bayuda, Sudan is a Bronze Age (regional) temple complex of the Bronze Age tradition, built c. 3000 BCE for citadel and associated settlement.
🇪🇹 Ethiopia · Temple complex
Chalcolithic (regional) · Chalcolithic
Lower Axum Settlement B — Axum (57-29) at Axum, Ethiopia is a Chalcolithic (regional) temple complex of the Chalcolithic tradition, built c. 800 CE for settlement and associated settlement.
🇹🇷 Turkey · Ancient city
Urartian Kingdom (9th–6th century BCE; later Urartian–Median–Achaemenid–Ottoman) · Urartian (Biainili) → Median → Achaemenid → Ottoman
Urartu's 100 m limestone citadel over Lake Van with royal rock-tombs and Xerxes trilingual.
🇹🇷 Turkey · Rock-cut
Bronze to Iron Age (2000 BCE–300 CE) · Rock-cut tradition
Midas City (Yazılıkaya) — Buried Facade North (Phrygia) in Eskişehir, Yazılıkaya, Midas City, Turkey is a Bronze to Iron Age (2000 BCE–300 CE) rock_cut att…
🇮🇷 Iran · Rock-cut
Bronze to Iron Age (2000 BCE–300 CE) · Rock-cut tradition
Naqsh-e Rostam — North Tomb Facade (Pars, Achaemenid) in Fars, Marvdasht, Naqsh-e Rostam, Iran is a Bronze to Iron Age (2000 BCE–300 CE) rock_cut attribute…
🇰🇭 Cambodia · Rock-cut
Andean Formative (1800–200 BCE) · Andean Formative
Rock-Cut Tombs of Baraka-High in Preah Vihear, Cambodia is a Andean Formative (1800–200 BCE) rock_cut attributed to Andean Formative culture.
🇮🇳 India · Rock-cut
Bronze to Iron Age (2000 BCE–300 CE) · Rock-cut tradition
Badami — Cave 3 North Veranda Murals in Karnataka, Bagalkot, Badami, India is a Bronze to Iron Age (2000 BCE–300 CE) rock_cut attributed to Rock-cut tradit…
🇮🇷 Iran · Rock-cut
Bronze to Iron Age (2000 BCE–300 CE) · Rock-cut tradition
Bisotun — Heracles Relief Ancillary Niche (Kermanshah) in Kermanshah, Bisotun, Iran is a Bronze to Iron Age (2000 BCE–300 CE) rock_cut attributed to Rock-c…
🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan · Rock-cut
Bronze to Iron Age (2000 BCE–300 CE) · Rock-cut tradition
Osh — Sulaiman-Too Cave Sanctuary Niche in Osh, Sulaiman-Too, Kyrgyzstan is a Bronze to Iron Age (2000 BCE–300 CE) rock_cut attributed to Rock-cut traditio…
🇪🇬 Egypt · Rock-cut
Bronze to Iron Age (2000 BCE–300 CE) · Rock-cut tradition
Deir el-Bersha — Nomarch Tomb Niche (Minya) in Minya, Deir el-Bersha, Egypt is a Bronze to Iron Age (2000 BCE–300 CE) rock_cut attributed to Rock-cut tradi…
🇪🇹 Ethiopia · Rock-cut
Bronze to Iron Age (2000 BCE–300 CE) · Rock-cut tradition
Lalibela — Bete Giyorgis Ancillary Drainage Channel in Amhara, Lalibela, Ethiopia is a Bronze to Iron Age (2000 BCE–300 CE) rock_cut attributed to Rock-cut…
🇮🇳 India · Rock-cut
Bronze to Iron Age (2000 BCE–300 CE) · Rock-cut tradition
Ajanta — Cave 17 Veranda Niche Painting in Maharashtra, Aurangabad, Ajanta, India is a Bronze to Iron Age (2000 BCE–300 CE) rock_cut attributed to Rock-cut…
🇦🇺 Australia · Rock-cut
Late Bronze Age (1550–1050 BCE) · Late Bronze Age
Butte-Upper Rock-Cut Complex in New South Wales, Australia is a Late Bronze Age (1550–1050 BCE) rock_cut attributed to Late Bronze Age culture.
🇸🇾 Syria · Rock-cut
Bronze to Iron Age (2000 BCE–300 CE) · Rock-cut tradition
Emesa — South Rock-Cut Tomb Niche (Homs) in Homs, Homs Old City, Emesa, Syria is a Bronze to Iron Age (2000 BCE–300 CE) rock_cut attributed to Rock-cut tra…
🇸🇾 Syria · Rock-cut
Bronze to Iron Age (2000 BCE–300 CE) · Rock-cut tradition
Qatna — Royal Hypogeum Antechamber East in Homs, Tell Mishrifeh, Qatna, Syria is a Bronze to Iron Age (2000 BCE–300 CE) rock_cut attributed to Rock-cut tra…
🇵🇹 Portugal · Rock-cut
Classical Antiquity (800 BCE–500 CE) · Classical
Rock-Cut Tombs of Ness-Rath in Alentejo, Portugal is a Classical Antiquity (800 BCE–500 CE) rock_cut attributed to Classical culture.
🇮🇪 Ireland · Rock-cut
Middle Bronze Age (2100–1550 BCE) · Middle Bronze Age
Rock-Cut Tombs of Khirbet in County Kerry, Ireland is a Middle Bronze Age (2100–1550 BCE) rock_cut attributed to Middle Bronze Age culture.
🇮🇹 Italy · Rock-cut
Nazca (100 BCE–800 CE) · Nazca
Ras Kara Rock-Cut Complex in Sicily, Italy is a Nazca (100 BCE–800 CE) rock_cut attributed to Nazca culture.
🇺🇸 United States · Rock-cut
Late Bronze Age (1550–1050 BCE) · Late Bronze Age
Ben Glen Rock-Cut Complex in Ohio, United States is a Late Bronze Age (1550–1050 BCE) rock_cut attributed to Late Bronze Age culture.
🇪🇸 Spain · Rock-cut
Neolithic (6000–3000 BCE) · Neolithic
Sproxton-Broad Rock-Cut Complex in Andalusia, Spain is a Neolithic (6000–3000 BCE) rock_cut attributed to Neolithic culture.
🇪🇬 Egypt · Rock-cut
Bronze to Iron Age (2000 BCE–300 CE) · Rock-cut tradition
El-Kab — Rock Tombs West Wall Niche in Aswan, El-Kab, Egypt is a Bronze to Iron Age (2000 BCE–300 CE) rock_cut attributed to Rock-cut tradition. Systematic…
🇮🇳 India · Temple complex
Shunga–Satavahana Early Buddhism · Hinayana (Theravada) Buddhist
One of India's earliest rock-cut Buddhist complexes (220 BCE–300 CE) on Sahyadri scarp above Indrayani River, with 22 caves.
🇮🇹 Italy · Rock-cut
Moche (100–800 CE) · Moche
Burgh Rock-Cut Complex in Sicily, Italy is a Moche (100–800 CE) rock_cut attributed to Moche culture.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Sixteen Kingdoms to Ming ~420–1644 CE · Northwestern Chinese Buddhist (Western Qin to Tibetan)
Yellow River cliff grotto accessible only by boat, bearing China's earliest dated 420 CE inscription.
