🇬🇹 Guatemala · Ancient city
Q'umarkaj
Classic · Maya/Andean
Q'umarkaj — K'iche' capital with Temple of Tohil.
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CategoriesAncient cities
Capitals, ports and metropolises that rose, fell and were found again.
🇧🇷 Brazil · Ancient city
Xinguano 800–1600 CE · Xinguano / Arawak
Cluster of 20+ pre-Columbian settlements in Xingu with causeways 50 m wide, plazas, reservoirs, showing dense urbanism (population 50k) in Amazon before 1492, built 800–1400 CE, described by Michael…
🇬🇹 Guatemala · Ancient city
Classic · Maya/Andean
Q'umarkaj — K'iche' capital with Temple of Tohil.
🇰🇪 Kenya · Ancient city
Swahili (14th–18th c. CE) · Swahili
Dondo Ruins — Lamu Mainland in Lamu County, Kenya is a Swahili (14th–18th c. CE) ancient-city attributed to Swahili. Mainland Swahili ruins opposite Manda Bay with walled town and Friday mosque.
🇯🇴 Jordan · Ancient city
PPNA (c.9300–8600 BCE) · Sultaniyean PPNA
PPNA village (c.9300–8600 BCE) on the Lisan Peninsula at -200 m beside the Dead Sea, excavated by Bill Finlayson. Rectan...
🇨🇳 China · Ancient city
Shang · Shang (Late)
Yinxu (Anyang) - Ruins of Yin in Henan Province, China is a Shang ancient city attributed to Shang (Late) culture. Inscribed UNESCO World Heritage Site (ID 1114).
🇳🇪 Niger · Ancient city
Late Medieval / Tuareg / Songhai · Tuareg (Kel Air) / Songhai tributary
Paired Saharan stations: Agadez (c.1400 Tuareg sultanate capital with 27 m mudbrick minaret) and medieval Takedda copper industrial estate (14th c, Ibn Battuta 1353: 'copper mine of Takadda') 150 km…
🇳🇬 Nigeria · Ancient city
Songhai-Kebbi to Sokoto (1515–1831) · Kebbi / Songhai / Fulani
Kebbi Empire capital (1515) with 9 km walls and Kanta palace mound.
🇱🇾 Libya · Ancient city
Greek to Islamic (5th c. BCE–7th c. CE) · Greek / Roman / Byzantine / Islamic
Pentapolis metropolis at Derna with harbour moles and layered cathedral-mosque.
🇲🇽 Mexico · Ancient city
Terminal Classic Puuc 800–1050 CE · Maya (Puuc)
Huntichmul East Complex north of Puuc Route: 70 m long vaulted palace with Puuc junquillo columns, sacbe linking to Sayil Group 2 km west. Mapped by Pollock 1980; 8 mounds remain unexcavated.
🇪🇸 Spain · Ancient city
Phoenician to Late Antique (7th c. BCE–5th c. CE) · Phoenician / Punic / Roman / Mauri
Punic-Roman cape town beneath Melilla with dye vats and tophet.
🇸🇾 Syria · Tell
Late Uruk/Jemdet Nasr (c.3500–3000 BCE) · South Mesopotamian Uruk colonial
Classic Late Uruk colony (c.3500–3000 BCE) on the Euphrates, 18 ha walled town with tripartite temples, administrative t...
🇬🇷 Greece · Submerged site
Roman to Byzantine (1st BCE – 6th CE) · Roman / Greek
Verified – Roman maritime villa complex 1–2 m under Palaia Epidavros bay (Epidaurus sanctuary port). Villa maritima with mosaics, baths, fish tanks, moles 100 m at 1–2 m due to +1 m Roman rise.
🇹🇷 Turkey · Ancient city
Lycian Classical (500 BCE–300 BCE) · Lycian
Isinda — Lycia Upland City in Antalya Province, Turkey is a Lycian Classical (500 BCE–300 BCE) ancient-city attributed to Lycian. Walled Lycian upland city at Belenli pass with rock tombs and agora.
🇹🇳 Tunisia · Ancient city
Numidian to Vandal (3rd c. BCE–5th c. CE) · Numidian / Roman / Christian
Municipium with theatre, circus and martyr basilica (303 CE).
🇹🇳 Tunisia · Ancient city
Numidian to Islamic (2nd c. BCE–7th c. CE) · Numidian / Roman / Byzantine
Byzacena hilltop municipium with capitol temple and Byzantine citadel.
🇩🇿 Algeria · Fortress
Numidian to Byzantine (2nd c. BCE–7th c. CE) · Numidian / Roman (Cirtan)
Cirtan confederation castellum with 14-towered walls and oil presses.
GR · Ancient city
Archaic to Medieval (8th c. BCE – 12th c. CE port) · Corinthian / Roman / Byzantine
Corinth eastern harbour on Saronic Gulf — Tiberius mole and Isis glass warehouses now 3 m under Kechries bay, Diolkos terminus.
🇪🇬 Egypt · Ancient city
Late Period / Graeco-Roman / Byzantine · Egyptian / Graeco-Roman
Mudbrick gateway fortress guarding Pelusiac Nile branch, scene of Cambyses 525 BCE, Antiochus battles, Pelusium lions legend and Baldwin I death 1118.
🇮🇱 Israel · Ancient city
Late Natufian (c.15000–11800 BCE) · Natufian
Late Natufian burial cave (c.15000–11800 BCE) on Mount Carmel, excavated by Dani Nadel. Dense Natufian cemetery with dec...
🇭🇳 Honduras · Ancient city
Classic to Postclassic (500–1500 CE, peak 1000–1400) · Unknown Mosquitia culture (possibly Pech/Cahut) linked to Mesoamerican sphere
Recently confirmed pre-Columbian urban complex in Mosquitia rainforest, revealed 2012 LiDAR, excavated 2015 with plazas, earthworks, ballcourt, caches of jaguar effigy vessels (500+ sculptures) dated…
🇰🇪 Kenya · Ancient city
Swahili (14th–18th c CE) · Swahili
Mambrui — Malindi North in Kilifi County, Kenya is a Swahili (14th–18th c CE) ancient-city attributed to Swahili. Swahili creek town north of Malindi with Friday mosque and tombs.
🇸🇾 Syria · Tell
Ubaid to Ninevite 5 (c.5000–2800 BCE) · Ubaid → Late Chalcolithic Uruk-related → Ninevite 5
Ubaid–Late Chalcolithic tell on the Wadi Khanzir, Russian-Syrian excavations by Rauf Munchaev. Spectacular Ubaid painted...
🇱🇾 Libya · Ancient city
Greek to Byzantine (6th c. BCE–7th c. CE) · Greek / Roman (Cyrenaica)
Red-soil harbour with bath-kiln and Mid Roman amphora production.
🇵🇰 Pakistan · Ancient city
Mature Harappan (2500–1900 BCE) · Harappan (Sindh coastal facies)
Allahdino is a small mature Harappan settlement (2500–1900 BCE) on the Malir River near Karachi, a 4-ha walled village with mudbrick houses, shell bangle workshop, and the famous carnelian bead hoard…
