🇮🇩 Indonesia · Temple complex
Borobudur
Medang Kingdom Sailendra 780–835 CE · Mahayana Buddhist under Sailendra dynasty central Java
World's largest Buddhist Mandala mountain with 72 latticed stupas.
🇰🇷 South Korea · Archaeological wonder
Hwaseong Fortress (Suwon)
Joseon Dynasty 1794–1796 CE · Joseon Korean (Jeongjo)
5.52 km bastioned city wall (1794–1796) built by King Jeongjo to honor father Prince Sado and establish new capital, combining Korean, Chinese and Western bastion design via Silhak scholar Jeong…
🇮🇳 India · Rock-cut
Mahabalipuram Group of Monuments
Pallava dynasty 630–700 CE · Hindu (Shaiva) under Pallava
Pallava seaside rock-cut trials: Shore Temple surviving tsunami and 27-m bas relief.
🇮🇱 Israel · Ancient city
El-Wad Cave (Mugharet el-Wad)
Middle Palaeolithic to Natufian (c.200 ka–9600 BCE) · Mousterian → Aurignacian → Natufian
Karst cave at the mouth of Nahal Me’arot, type site of the Natufian culture (excavated Dorothy Garrod 1929–1934). 4 m st...
🇮🇶 Iraq · Pyramid
Ziggurat of Assur (Qal'at Sherqat)
Old Akkadian to Middle Assyrian, c.2600–1200 BCE · Assyrian
Ziggurat of Assur at Qal'at Sherqat — holy city of Ashur, earliest Assyrian capital (c.2600–614 BCE, core Old Akkadian/Ur III, restored Shamshi-Adad I, Shalmaneser I).
🇮🇳 India · Temple complex
Airavatesvara Temple Complex Darasuram
Chola 12th c. (1146–1172 CE) · Chola Hindu (Rajaraja II)
Airavatesvara (1146–1172, Rajaraja II) – Chola chariot temple (Skt ratha) where front mandapa wheels are stone chariot wheels, music steps that resonate seven tones, and yali_balustrade.
🇯🇵 Japan · Tumulus
Daisen Kofun — Nintoku Outer Moat Sector
Kofun (c. 411–453 CE Nintoku) · Yamato Kofun (Emperor Nintoku tradition)
Mozu kofun group excavated non-invasive by Sakai 1872, UNESCO 2019 as Mozu-Furuichi, Imperial mound unentered.
🇹🇷 Turkey · Temple complex
Ephesus Arsinoeion-Octagon — Sanctuary Terrace of Arsinoe
Hellenistic to Roman (288 BCE – 262 CE) · Ptolemaic to Roman Ephesian
Curetes terrace with 36 m Arsinoeion rotunda and Octagon princess tomb.
🇹🇷 Turkey · Ancient city
Harran — First Islamic University Excavation Trench
Eblaite to Ottoman; University 8th–12th c. CE · Umayyad / Abbasid (Harran School)
Plain city excavated by Lloyd & Brice 1951–56 and recent Harran University, birthplace of al-Battani, Sabian moon temple underlying.
🇩🇰 Denmark · Megalith
Jelling Mounds, Runic Stones and Church
Viking Age · Jelling Dynasty (Gorm & Harald Bluetooth)
Jelling Mounds, Runic Stones and Church in South Denmark, Vejle Municipality, Denmark is a Viking Age megalithic attributed to Jelling Dynasty (Gorm & Harald Bluetooth) culture.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Megalith
West Kennet Avenue — Avebury Stone Row North
Late Neolithic (2600 BCE) · Grooved Ware / Avebury
Avebury's west avenue excavated by Keiller 1934 and Long 1850s, linking Overton Hill Sanctuary (concentric stone/timber circles) to southern entrance of henge.
🇮🇪 Ireland · Megalith
Knowth Passage Tombs — Eastern Necropolis Extension
Neolithic (3350–2800 BCE) with Bronze Age additions · Boyne Neolithic
Brú na Bóinne World Heritage excavated by Eogan 1962–2000, with 300 decorated stones, sundial-like kerbstone K52.
🇮🇳 India · Temple complex
Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram
Pallava Dynasty 580–728 CE (Mamalla and Rajasimha phases) · Tamil / Pallava Hindu (Shaiva/Vaishnava)
Pallava (7th–8th c CE) coastal temple town with 40 rock-cut shrines: Shore Temple granite seaside, Five Rathas monolithic chariot-temples cut from single boulders, Arjuna's Penance 27 m bas-relief,…
🇯🇵 Japan · Ancient village
Sannai-Maruyama — Jomon Large Pier Building
Jomon Early to Middle (3900–2200 BCE) · Jomon (Sannai-Maruyama)
Aomori Jomon excavated 1992–, 1500 pit houses, chesnut pillar tower 14 m, lacquer and jade trade, UNESCO 2021.
🇹🇷 Turkey · Megalith
Göbekli Tepe — Enclosure F Twin Pillars
Pre-Pottery Neolithic (9600–8200 BCE) · PPN hunter-gatherer (Göbeklian)
Germuş hill excavated by Schmidt 1995–, 20 enclosures with T-pillars and animal reliefs,intentionally backfilled 8200 BCE.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Megalith
Maeshowe Chambered Cairn
Late Neolithic · Grooved Ware Orcadian
Finest Orkney chambered cairn: 36 m mound, long passage, corbelled chamber. Midwinter sunset illuminates chamber. Bears 12th-century Viking runic inscriptions (>30).
🇪🇹 Ethiopia · Temple complex
Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela
Zagwe dynasty · Ethiopian Orthodox
11 medieval monolithic rock-cut churches chiselled from tuff into trenches, connected by tunnels, built for King Lalibela as New Jerusalem pilgrimage site; UNESCO 1978.
🇰🇷 South Korea · Megalith
Gochang — Jungnim-ri Dolmen Cluster
Korean Bronze Age (1000–500 BCE) · Mumun / Korean Bronze dolmen builders
Gochang Jungnim-ri excavated 1980s, largest capstone 5.6 m, UNESCO 2000 with Hwasun, Ganghwa.
🇰🇷 South Korea · Temple complex
Seokguram Grotto & Bulguksa Temple
Silla Unified · Silla (Kim Dae-seong)
Seokguram Grotto & Bulguksa Temple in Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea is a Silla Unified temple complex attributed to Silla (Kim Dae-seong) culture. Inscribed UNESCO World Heritage Site (ID 736).
🇯🇵 Japan · Megalith
Oyu Stone Circles — Late Jomon Solar Alignment
Late Jomon (2000–1500 BCE) · Late Jomon Oyu
Kazuno circles excavated 1931 and 1946, Late Jomon double circles aligned to summer solstice sunset.
🇮🇳 India · Temple complex
Sun Temple, Konârak
Eastern Ganga · Gangesvara Eastern Ganga (Narasimhadeva I)
Sun Temple, Konârak in Odisha, India is a Eastern Ganga temple complex attributed to Gangesvara Eastern Ganga (Narasimhadeva I) culture. Inscribed UNESCO World Heritage Site (ID 246).
🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Megalith
Ness of Brodgar — Structure 14 Annex
Late Neolithic (3200–2300 BCE) · Grooved Ware
Major Ness excavated by Card 2004–, Grooved Ware centre linking Stones of Stenness and Ring of Brodgar.
🇨🇳 China · Ancient city
Complex of Koguryo Tombs (Jian)
Koguryo · Koguryo
Complex of Koguryo Tombs (Jian) in Jilin Province / DPRK, China is a Koguryo ancient city attributed to Koguryo culture. Inscribed UNESCO World Heritage Site (ID 1135).
🇨🇴 Colombia · Megalith
San Agustín Archaeological Park
San Agustín Culture · San Agustín
San Agustín Archaeological Park in Huila Department, Colombia is a San Agustín Culture megalithic attributed to San Agustín culture. Inscribed UNESCO World Heritage Site (ID 744).