🇲🇽 Mexico · Pyramid
Comalcalco Archaeological Zone
Maya Classic 250–900 CE · Maya (Chontal)
Maya brick city 56 million bricks, Chontal 250–900 CE.
🇪🇬 Egypt · Pyramid
Bent Pyramid
Old Kingdom, 4th Dynasty · Ancient Egyptian
Second pyramid of Sneferu where angle changes mid-construction from 54° to 43°, preserving limestone casing. Unique internal corbel system. Demonstrates learning curve to true pyramid.
🇲🇽 Mexico · Ancient city
Cacaxtla-Xochitécatl Archaeological Zone
Epiclassic 650–900 CE · Olmeca-Xicalanca
Epiclassic painted citadel Battle Mural 22 m, 700–800 CE.
🇲🇹 Malta · Megalith
Ġgantija Temples
Neolithic (Ġgantija phase) · Maltese Temple culture
Pair of cloverleaf temples with walls to 6 m high, coralline blocks >50 t, among earliest free-standing stone structures (c.3600 BCE), surrounded by massive outer wall on Gozo plateau.
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka · Ancient village
Kantarodai
Iron Age to Early Historic (1000 BCE–300 CE) · Tamil megalithic to early Buddhist (Jaffna Dravidian)
Kantarodai is an Iron Age cemetery (1000 BCE–300 CE) north of Jaffna, a 2-ha field of 60 votive mini-stupas (1–2 m) over megalithic urn burials plus Tamil-Brahmi settlement (300 BCE).
🇲🇦 Morocco · Ancient city
Zilil (Dchar Jdid / Asilah)
Phoenician / Roman · Roman / Mauretanian
Augustan colonia Iulia Constantia Zilil controlling Loukkos–Tangier road and garum coast. Large forum, basilica, theatre embankment and 5th-c church.
🇸🇩 Sudan · Tumulus
Cave Sanctuary Africa 88 — Sudan Region 4
Period Iron Age · Regional culture Africa-Tumulus
Cave Sanctuary Africa 88 — Sudan Region 4 in Sudan Region 4, Sudan is a Iron Age tumulus with stratified deposits and regional significance. Excavations reveal architectural phasing.
🇵🇪 Peru · Hydraulic works
Cave Sanctuary Misc 72 — Peru Region 12
Period Late Holocene · Regional culture Misc-Hydraulic
Cave Sanctuary Misc 72 — Peru Region 12 in Peru Region 12, Peru is a Neolithic hydraulic with stratified deposits and regional significance. Excavations reveal architectural phasing.
🇿🇼 Zimbabwe · Ancient city
Great Zimbabwe
Iron Age (Zimbabwe Period: Great Zimbabwe 1100–1450 CE) · Ancestral Shona (Karanga)
Capital of Kingdom of Zimbabwe (11th–15th c) with dry-stone walls up to 11 m (Great Enclosure) without mortar, Hill Complex and Valley Enclosures controlling Indian Ocean gold trade.
🇮🇷 Iran · Ancient city
Persepolis
Achaemenid · Persian Achaemenid
Ceremonial capital of Achaemenid Empire (515–330 BCE) with Apadana, Throne Hall, Treasury on terrace with relief of tribute bearers. Burned by Alexander 330 BCE, preserved by burial.
🇨🇳 China · Ancient city
Chengzishan
Neolithic Baodun (2700–2000 BCE; walled 2500 BCE) · Baodun culture (Sichuan Chengdu Plain, Sanxingdui precursor)
Chengzishan is a Baodun culture walled town (2700–2000 BCE) — earliest walled site on the Chengdu Plain (pre-Sanxingdui), 10-ha rectangular walled settlement with rammed-earth wall.
🇱🇾 Libya · Ancient city
Antipyrgos (Tobruk / Tubruq)
Greek / Roman / Byzantine · Greek / Roman
Natural rock-harbour of Marmarica, fortress-emporion of Cyrene facing Egypt, later Justinianic fort guarding Via Maris. Classical mole at -1.5 m visible snorkelling; WWII overlays.
🇲🇽 Mexico · Ancient city
La Quemada Archaeological Zone
Classic–Epiclassic 350–900 CE · Northern Mesoamerican frontier
Northern hill fortress Salón de Columnas, 350–900 CE, Chicomóztoc candidate.
🇪🇹 Ethiopia · Megalith
Axum Obelisks & Archaeological Site
Aksumite · Aksumite / Ge'ez
Capital of Aksumite Kingdom (100 BCE–940 CE) with monolithic granite stelae quarried 4 km, carved to imitate multi-storey buildings with false doors/windows, elite tombs, palaces.
🇹🇿 Tanzania · Rock art
Mumba Rock Shelter (Lake Eyasi) – Middle Stone Age Stratigraphy
Middle Stone Age / Later Stone Age · Middle Stone Age hunter-gatherers
60 m deep sequence from Acheulean bifaces to 30 ka ostrich-eggshell beads and 19 ka geometric microliths bridging Middle Stone Age–Neolithic. Rock paintings overlie MSA horizons.
🇬🇹 Guatemala · Pyramid
Tikal Temple IV
Late Classic Maya · Maya (Mutal polity)
Tallest temple-pyramid in Tikal, atop 7 m supporting platform, roof comb; from summit see canopy and other temples. Part of vast Classic Maya city (16 km²) with ~3000 structures.
🇩🇿 Algeria · Ancient city
Calama (Guelma) – Theatre & Baths
Punic to Byzantine (4th c BCE – 7th c CE) · Punic / Numidian / Roman
Seybouse spa city with marble-lined north baths (45×35 m), hillside theatre (62 m) restored by Joly 1905, and Byzantine citadel reusing theatre seats. Hot aquae still flow 28°C.
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka · Archaeological wonder
Sigiriya (Lion Rock)
Moriyan Anuradhapura · Sinhala
5th-century rock fortress-palace of Kassapa I atop 180 m column, frescoed Mirror Wall, Lion Gate, with summit palace, hydraulic gardens and moat. Short-lived capital 477–495 CE.
🇰🇷 South Korea · Ancient city
Buyeo Naseong
Baekje Sabi Period (538–660 CE; UNESCO) · Baekje (King Seong to Uija)
Buyeo Naseong is Baekje's Sabi capital outer wall (538–660 CE, UNESCO) — 8.5-km earthen and stone wall (6 m high) enclosing 3.2 km² with Busosan Fortress and Neungsan-ri tombs.
🇰🇷 South Korea · Ancient city
Gongsanseong Fortress
Three Kingdoms Baekje (475–660 CE; Ungjin capital 475–538) · Baekje (Ungjin Period, King Munju to Seong)
Gongsanseong is the Baekje mountain–river fortress (475–538 CE, UNESCO) — 1.8-km walls (3.5 m high) on Gongsan hill with palace, pond, and Jumagru beacon above the Geum River.
🇲🇹 Malta · Megalith
Tarxien Temples
Chalcolithic (Tarxien phase) · Maltese Temple culture
Four interconnected temples with spiral reliefs, animal friezes and 2.7 m mother-goddess statue fragment. Most decorated of Maltese temples, adjacent to Hal Saflieni Hypogeum.
🇲🇽 Mexico · Pyramid
Calakmul
Late Classic Maya · Maya (Kanul dynasty)
Powerful Classic Maya superpower (capital of Kanul Snake Kingdom, 6th–9th century) with 6,750 structures, twin reservoirs and stelae. Structure II is massive layered pyramid.
🇺🇸 United States · Ancient village
Pueblo Bonito (Chaco Canyon)
Pueblo II–III · Ancestral Puebloan / Chacoan
Greatest great house of Chaco: D-shaped 800-room complex with 32 kivas, planned in stages 850–1150 CE, aligned to cardinal directions and Chacoan road system radiating 60 km.