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The catalogue
1,251 places to sift through. Narrow by kind, country, period or how firmly each one is established — contested and pseudoarchaeological claims are labelled here, never hidden.
🇮🇶 Iraq · Ancient city
Ubaid to Neo-Babylonian (4000–500 BCE) · Sumerian
Ur — Tell Muqayyar Diqdiqqah Residential in Dhi Qar Governorate, Euphrates, Iraq is a Ubaid to Neo-Babylonian (4000–500 BCE) ancient city attributed to Sumerian culture.
🇮🇱 Israel · Ancient city
Late Natufian (c.12000–9600 BCE) · Natufian
Natufian open-air hamlet (c.12000–9600 BCE) at the Hula lake edge, excavated by Jean Perrot. Over 50 round semi-subterra...
🇹🇷 Turkey · Ancient city
Hellenistic–Roman (300 BCE–200 CE) · Lycian (Balboura) Kibyra tetrapolis
Balboura — Lycian Mountain City in Burdur Province, Turkey is a Hellenistic–Roman (300 BCE–200 CE) ancient-city attributed to Lycian (Balboura) Kibyra tetrapolis.
🇱🇧 Lebanon · Ancient city
Phoenician to Roman (2750 BCE–300 CE) · Phoenician
Tyre — Al-Mina Phoenician Port in South Governorate, Phoenician coast, Lebanon is a Phoenician to Roman (2750 BCE–300 CE) ancient city attributed to Phoenician culture.
🇵🇪 Peru · Ancient city
Late Intermediate 1100–1470 CE Chachapoya · Chachapoyas
Remote fortified town on Achil ridge between Utcubamba and Huabayacu tributaries of Marañón: 60 circular houses, watchtower 8 m diameter on ridge apex, and 150 m defensive wall with parapet.
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka · Ancient city
Polonnaruwa Period 1070–1232 CE (Chola 993–1070 preceding) · Sinhalese / Chola Tamil Buddhist and Hindu
Second Sinhalese capital (1070–1232 CE) after Anuradhapura's sack, 12th c metropolis of Parakramabahu I with 3,400-ha Parakrama Samudra reservoir, Atadage Dalada Maligawa tooth relic temple, and Gal…
🇹🇷 Turkey · Ancient city
Hellenistic to Byzantine (170 BCE–500 CE) · Hellenistic then Roman (Archelaos)
Elaiussa Sebaste — Archaic Port and Agora in Mersin Province, Turkey is a Hellenistic to Byzantine (170 BCE–500 CE) ancient-city attributed to Hellenistic then Roman (Archelaos).
🇻🇳 Vietnam · Ancient city
Champa early capital (4th–8th c. CE) · Cham (Simhapura)
Tra Kieu Lion Citadel — Simhapura in Quang Nam Province, Vietnam is a Champa early capital (4th–8th c. CE) ancient-city attributed to Cham (Simhapura).
🇸🇩 Sudan · Ancient city
New Kingdom (1390–1070 BCE) · Egyptian New Kingdom
Sesebi — Akhenaten's Nubian City in Northern State, Sudan is a New Kingdom (1390–1070 BCE) ancient-city attributed to Egyptian New Kingdom.
🇱🇧 Lebanon · Ancient city
Neolithic to Phoenician (5000–1200 BCE) · Byblos culture
Byblos — Seaside Neolithic Harbour in Keserwan-Jbeil, coast, Lebanon is a Neolithic to Phoenician (5000–1200 BCE) ancient city attributed to Byblos culture culture.
🇮🇳 India · Ancient city
Early Hindu 8th–11th c + Gujarat Sultanate 1484–1535 CE · Rajput / Chalukya Hindu + Gujarat Sultanate Islamic
Concentrated ensemble of 8th–16th c heritage within 1,329 ha: Chalukya hill fort and Lakulisa temples on Pavagadh (737 m cone), and Sultanate Champaner – pre-Mughal Islamic city (1484–1535) of Mahmud…
🇰🇪 Kenya · Ancient city
Swahili earliest (8th–14th c CE) · Swahili (proto-Swahili)
Shanga — Pate Island Early Swahili Town in Lamu County, Kenya is a Swahili earliest (8th–14th c CE) ancient-city attributed to Swahili (proto-Swahili). Earliest Swahili town 15 ha with 8th c.
🇹🇳 Tunisia · Ancient city
Roman (1st c. BCE–7th c. CE) · Numidian / Roman-Christian
Hill municipium with double temples and siphon aqueduct.
🇮🇶 Iraq · Ancient city
Isin-Larsa (2025–1763 BCE) · Sumerian/Amorite
Larsa — Tell Senkereh South Mound in Dhi Qar Governorate, southern plain, Iraq is a Isin-Larsa (2025–1763 BCE) ancient city attributed to Sumerian/Amorite culture.
🇲🇽 Mexico · Ancient city
Late Postclassic (Mayapan) · Maya (Yucatán)
Mayapan — walled last Maya capital 1220–1440.
🇸🇩 Sudan · Ancient city
Medieval to Ottoman (12th–20th c CE) · Beja–Ottoman Swahili-type coral city
Suakin — Coral Port City in Red Sea State, Sudan is a Medieval to Ottoman (12th–20th c CE) ancient-city attributed to Beja–Ottoman Swahili-type coral city.
🇮🇱 Israel · Ancient city
Nabataean to Roman (100 BCE–300 CE) · Nabataean (Aretas)
Yotvata Ein Ghadyan — Spice Road Caravanserai in Southern District, Israel is a Nabataean to Roman (100 BCE–300 CE) ancient-city attributed to Nabataean (Aretas).
🇹🇷 Turkey · Ancient city
Hellenistic–Roman (300 BCE–200 CE) · Seleucid Stratonikeia
Stratonikeia — Lagina Sanctuary Road in Muğla Province, Turkey is a Hellenistic–Roman (300 BCE–200 CE) ancient-city attributed to Seleucid Stratonikeia.
🇸🇾 Syria · Tell
Middle Bronze to Iron (1900–500 BCE) · Canaanite/ Sea Peoples
Tell Kazel — Ancient Sumur in Tartus Governorate, Akkar plain, Syria is a Middle Bronze to Iron (1900–500 BCE) tell attributed to Canaanite/ Sea Peoples culture.
🇬🇹 Guatemala · Ancient city
Middle to Late Preclassic Mirador 600 BCE–150 CE · Maya (Mirador Basin)
Formerly Güiro, renamed Wakna: massive Triadic Acropolis (25 m pyramid on 70 m platform) with three temples and deep aguada (reservoir) 80 m diameter excavated into bedrock.
🇮🇷 Iran · Tell
Urartian (8th–6th c. BCE; Argishti/Rusa) · Urartu
Small but classic Urartu hydraulic fortress damming a karstic spring valley NW of Khoy: cyclopean dam wall, rectangular fort, storage pithoi, Haldi-temple pebble mosaic, with red polish Urartu ware…
🇱🇧 Lebanon · Tell
Middle Bronze to Iron (1900–1200 BCE) · Egyptian-Hittite
Kamid el-Loz — Beqaa Palace in Beqaa Governorate, Kumidi palace, Lebanon is a Middle Bronze to Iron (1900–1200 BCE) tell attributed to Egyptian-Hittite culture.
🇯🇴 Jordan · Ancient city
Early Bronze Age (3300–2100 BCE) · EBA Jordan
Bab edh-Dhra — Dead Sea Plain in Karak Governorate, Dead Sea plain, Jordan is a Early Bronze Age (3300–2100 BCE) ancient city attributed to EBA Jordan culture.
🇮🇳 India · Ancient city
Vijayanagara Empire 1336–1565 CE (Sangama to Tuluva) · Vijayanagara Hindu (Telugu-Kannada)
Ruined imperial capital of Vijayanagara Empire (1336–1565 CE) sprawling 25 km² on Tungabhadra River among boulder hills.
