🇲🇽 Mexico · Pyramid
Pyramid of the Moon
Teotihuacan Classic · Teotihuacan
Second largest Teotihuacan pyramid capping north end of Avenue of the Dead, mirroring Cerro Gordo mountain. Contains burial of sacrificed jaguars, eagles and human offerings.
🇰🇭 Cambodia · Temple complex
Yeay Lao Group (Sambor Prei Kuk)
Chenla (Isanapura 616–635 CE) to Angkor · Chenla (Isanapura, King Isanavarman I)
Yeay Lao is one of three walled cities of Isanapura (Samor Prei Kuk, UNESCO 2017) — Chenla capital 616–635 CE, 250×250 m walled enclosure with 3 octagonal brick sanctuaries.
🇲🇹 Malta · Megalith
Mnajdra
Chalcolithic · Maltese Temple culture
Clifftop complex of three conjoined temples 500 m below Ħaġar Qim; best preserved in Malta with corbelled walls, precise equinox/solstice solar alignments through doorways.
🇪🇬 Egypt · Pyramid
Step Pyramid of Djoser
Old Kingdom, 3rd Dynasty · Ancient Egyptian
Oldest large stone structure in Egypt: architect Imhotep's six-step pyramid for Djoser, 3rd Dynasty, evolving from mastaba. Inside complex with Heb-Sed court and serdab.
🇺🇸 United States · Earthwork
Angel Mounds State Historic Site
Mississippian 1000–1450 CE · Mississippian (Angel phase)
42 ha Mississippian walled town 1000–1450 CE.
🇮🇪 Ireland · Megalith
Dowth
Neolithic · Boyne Valley Neolithic
Westernmost of three great Brú na Bóinne tombs, 85 m diameter, two passages and souterrain. Less restored, preserving original form. Associated winter sunset alignment.
🇯🇵 Japan · Ancient city
Fujiwara-kyo
Asuka Period (694–710 CE) · Yamato (Empress Jito to Monmu)
Fujiwara-kyo is Japan's first planned Chinese-grid capital (694–710 CE) — 5×5 km Chang'an-style city with Fujiwara Palace (1 km² Suzaku Boulevard) at 60 m Yamato plain.
🇪🇹 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.
🇲🇽 Mexico · Ancient city
Tzintzuntzan Archaeological Zone (Las Yácatas)
Late Postclassic 1350–1530 CE · Purépecha (Tarascan)
Five yácatas on 425 m platform, Tarascan capital 1350–1530 CE.
🇱🇾 Libya · Temple complex
Balagrae (El Beida / Bayda) – Asclepeion
Greek / Roman · Greek (Cyrenean)
Healing sanctuary of Asclepius with spring valley, temple, incubation theatre, stoa and sacred spring under eucalypts. Annual Asclepieia games; Pausanias lists oracle.
🇵🇪 Peru · Ancient city
Áspero Archaeological Site (Fishing Town of Caral)
Late Archaic 3000–2500 BCE · Norte Chico (Caral maritime)
Coastal port six pyramids, fish-for-cotton, 3000–2500 BCE.
🇵🇰 Pakistan · Ancient city
Harappa
Harappan (3300–1300 BCE; mature 2600–1900) · Indus Valley
Type-site of Harappan civilization, walled city on Ravi with citadel, granaries, bead workshops and early example of town planning succeeding pre-Harappan Ravi phase.
🇳🇬 Nigeria · Mound
Kursakata Mound (Borno) – Firki Stratigraphy
Iron Age to Historic Kanem · Chad Basin (Gajiganna → Kanem-Bornu)
7 m deep tell preserving 3000-year fishing-pastoralist sequence; fish bones, cord roulette ceramics and copper imports show trans-Saharan contact before Arab records.
🇬🇧 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).
🇨🇳 China · Ancient village
Shuangdun
Neolithic Shuangdun (7300–5600 BCE) · Shuangdun culture (Huai River painted pottery, carved symbols)
Shuangdun is Shuangdun culture's type site (7300–5600 BCE) on the Huai River — 10-ha village with stamped pottery with 600+ carved symbols (proto-writing, 7300 BCE).
🇺🇸 United States · Earthwork
Tremper Mound and Earthwork
Hopewell 100–500 CE · Hopewell tradition
Effigy mound with 136 portrait pipes, Hopewell 100–300 CE.
🇱🇾 Libya · Ancient city
Boreum (Buerat / Bū Grādah) – Syrtic Frontier
Roman / Byzantine · Roman
Customs fort marking Tripolitania–Cyrenaica boundary at Syrtis Major where road hugged sea past Arae Philaenorum. Fortlet with bath and cisterns praised by Sallust.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Megalith
Ring of Brodgar
Late Neolithic · Grooved Ware Orcadian
Massive henge and stone circle 104 m diameter, originally 60 stones (36 surviving). Enclosed by rock-cut ditch up to 10 m wide. Core of Heart of Neolithic Orkney.
🇲🇽 Mexico · Temple complex
Kohunlich
Classic · Maya/Andean
Kohunlich — Temple of the Masks 5×2 m stucco.
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan · Ancient city
Mingtepa
Ferghana Hellenistic to Karakhanid (300 BCE–1200 CE) · Ferghana (Dayuan/Ershi) to Karakhanid
Mingtepa is Ferghana capital Ershi — 35-ha walled city with Greek fort, Sogdian palace, Karakhanid mosque, identified with Chinese Han Ershi and Ferghana horses.
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan · Ancient village
Orlat
Sogdian–Kangju (200 BCE–300 CE) · Kangju–Sarmatian to Sogdian (Orlat plaques)
Orlat is the Sarmatian–Kangju cemetery with famed Orlat bone plaques — carved battle and hunting scenes linking Sogdiana to Steppe nomads, 4 kurgans (8 m high).
🇵🇪 Peru · Ancient city
Pikillacta Archaeological Park (Huari)
Wari Middle Horizon 550–800 CE · Wari (Huari Empire)
50 ha Wari grid city 12 m walls 550–700 CE.
🇩🇿 Algeria · Ancient city
Rapidum (Sour Djouab / Masqueray)
Roman · Roman
Auxilia castra of Cohors II Sardorum on Auzia–Lemellef road controlling Tell–Plateaux pass. Fort 180×140 m with canabae, baths, Gordian III rebuild inscription.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Megalith
Standing Stones of Stenness
Late Neolithic · Grooved Ware Orcadian
Four surviving uprights of oval henge circle originally 12 stones up to 5.7 m tall on promontory between lochs. One of earliest henges in Britain (c.3100 BCE).