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CategoriesRock-cut sites
Temples, tombs and churches carved directly from living rock.
🇪🇹 Ethiopia · Rock-cut
Aksumite (400 BCE–800 CE) · Aksumite
Seglamen — Rock Church and Stelae in Tigray Region, Ethiopia is a Aksumite (400 BCE–800 CE) rock_cut attributed to Aksumite.
🇹🇷 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.
🇹🇷 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.
🇦🇲 Armenia · Temple complex
Medieval (Main 1215 CE; gavit 1225; rock-cut 1263 Proshian tomb) · Armenian medieval Proshian princes (Zakarian dynasty)
Geghard UNESCO 2000, Proshian cave church 1283 with stalactite.
🇨🇳 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.
🇮🇷 Iran · Rock-cut
Hellenistic–Parthian (Seleucid to Mithridates I) · Seleucid Greek–Iranian magus syncretism (Heracles–Verethragna)
Zagros cave 4 triple chambers with koine 'Heracles rests here' inscription 3rd–1st BCE and spring cistern.
🇨🇳 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 · Northern Qi Xianbei-Han Buddhist
Handan south hill 3 limestone caves with 550 CE Amitabha Western Paradise (Freer) and central pillar, Northern Qi.
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia · Rock-cut
Iron Age (900-100 BCE) · Lihyanite/Dedanite
Al Ula Dedan Necropolis Lion Tomb Access Ridge — Southern Extension 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 — 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.
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia · Rock-cut
Iron Age (900-100 BCE) · Lihyanite/Dedanite
Al Ula Dedan Necropolis Lion Tomb Access Ridge — Northern Annex in Al Ula, Medina, Saudi Arabia is a Iron Age (900-100 BCE) rock_cut attributed to Lihyanite/Dedanite.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Northern Wei to Song · Northern Wei, Sui, Tang cosmopolitan
Luoyang west bank core with Guyang 493 earliest cave 800 inscriptions and Binyang pagoda, Northern Wei–Tang.
🇮🇹 Italy · Rock-cut
Late Bronze Age (1300-800 BCE) · Sicel Culture
Pantalica Anaktoron South Necropolis Ridge — Northern Annex 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 — Southern Extension in Amhara, Lalibela, Ethiopia is a Medieval (1100-1300 CE) rock_cut attributed to Zagwe.
🇨🇳 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.
🇲🇹 Malta · Rock-cut
Late Neolithic (3600-2500 BCE) · Temple Period
Hal Tarxien Hypogeum Extension North — Western Terrace in Malta, Paola, Malta is a Late Neolithic (3600-2500 BCE) rock_cut attributed to Temple Period.
🇮🇹 Italy · Rock-cut
Late Bronze Age (1300-800 BCE) · Sicel Culture
Pantalica Anaktoron South Necropolis Ridge in Sicily, Syracuse, Italy is a Late Bronze Age (1300-800 BCE) rock_cut attributed to Sicel Culture.
🇫🇷 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 · Rock-cut
Northern Dynasties to Tang (Northern Qi 550–577 peak) · North China Buddhist imperial patronage (Qi and Tang)
Quyang white-marble mountain 12 caves 550–750 CE South Cave Vairocana, quarry-monastery.
🇲🇹 Malta · Rock-cut
Late Neolithic (3600-2500 BCE) · Temple Period
Hal Tarxien Hypogeum Extension North in Malta, Paola, Malta is a Late Neolithic (3600-2500 BCE) rock_cut attributed to Temple Period.
🇵🇪 Peru · Rock-cut
Early Horizon to Cajamarca (700 BCE – 800 CE) · Cajamarca / Wari
Ventanillas de Otuzco in Cajamarca, Peru is a Early Horizon to Cajamarca (700 BCE – 800 CE) rock_cut attributed to Cajamarca / Wari culture.
