🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Tianlongshan Western Grottoes — Shanxi Western Cliff
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
Al Ula Dedan Necropolis Lion Tomb Access Ridge — Western Terrace
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
Al Ula Dedan Necropolis Lion Tomb Access Ridge — Eastern Outlier
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
Pantalica Anaktoron South Necropolis Ridge — Southern Extension
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.
🇨🇳 China · Temple complex
Maijishan Western Cliff Grottoes
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.
🇫🇷 France · Rock-cut
Hypogee des Crottes de Rouaix II — Eastern Outlier
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
Hypogee des Crottes de Rouaix II — Northern Annex
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
Bingling Temple Upper Gorge Grottoes
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.
🇫🇷 France · Rock-cut
Hypogee des Crottes de Rouaix II
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
Tianlongshan North Manshan Grottoes
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
Mati Temple West Thousand Buddha Cliff
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
Sumatar Harabesi (Soğmatar)
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
Masada — Desert Fortress of Herod
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
Iwakura (Fukuoka)
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
Inner Great Zimbabwe Fortress Central — Great Zimbabwe (57-17)
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
Qumran — Caves and Monastery of the Dead Sea Scrolls
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.
🇿🇼 Zimbabwe · Temple complex
Eastern Great Zimbabwe Settlement Central — Great Zimbabwe (57-50)
Classical (regional) · Classical
Eastern Great Zimbabwe Settlement Central — Great Zimbabwe (57-50) at Great Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe is a Classical (regional) temple complex of the Classical tradition, built c.
🇹🇷 Turkey · Tomb
Upper Derinkuyu Temple Central — Derinkuyu, Cappadocia (59-20)
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
Old Great Zimbabwe Necropolis Outer — Great Zimbabwe (57-40)
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
Outer Derinkuyu Fortress Inner — Derinkuyu, Cappadocia (59-02)
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.
🇲🇹 Malta · Tomb
Great Hypogeum Fortress North — Hypogeum, Paola (59-34)
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
Eastern Hypogeum Citadel North — Hypogeum, Paola (59-05)
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
Armaztsikhe and Bagineti — Armazi, Capital of Iberia
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
Royal Djenné-Jeno Village Outer — Djenné-Jeno (57-44)
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.