🇨🇳 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).
🇬🇹 Guatemala · Ancient city
Q'umarkaj
Classic · Maya/Andean
Q'umarkaj — K'iche' capital with Temple of Tohil.
🇨🇳 China · Ancient city
Yinxu (Anyang) - Ruins of Yin
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).
🇲🇽 Mexico · Ancient city
Huntichmul East Complex
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.
🇸🇾 Syria · Ancient city
Ebla (Tell Mardikh) (Idlib Governorate)
Early Bronze Age to Iron Age · Eblaite (Semitic)
Ebla (Tell Mardikh) in Idlib Governorate, Syria is a Early Bronze Age to Iron Age ancient city attributed to Eblaite (Semitic) culture.
🇩🇿 Algeria · Ancient city
Tipasa of Mauretania – Coastal Basilicas
Punic (6th c BCE) – Roman – Christian (5th c CE) · Punic / Mauretanian / Roman
Coastal UNESCO port with Punic necropolis (6th c BCE tophet), Roman forum, theatre, and two Christian basilicas (Salsa martyr shrine) on promontory with offshore islet. Numidian–Ma...
🇹🇳 Tunisia · Ancient city
Thelepte (Feriana / Medinet el-Kdima)
Roman to Byzantine (1st c CE – 7th c CE; colonia under Trajan) · Roman / Byzantine (Byzacena)
Byzacena road city at Sahara edge, Thelepte flourished as Byzantine dux capital with massive fortress (1.2 km circuit) built from Roman spolia, two basilicas with mosaics, baths an...
🇳🇬 Nigeria · Ancient city
Daura Emirate – Hausa Foundation City
Hausa foundation (9th c CE – 1805 Fulani conquest; Bayajidda c. 900 CE) · Hausa (Bayajidda legend; Daurama matriarchal tradition)
Holiest Hausa city where Bayajidda legend says Daurama queen's serpent Sarki in Kusugu well was slain c. 900 CE founding Hausa Bakwai; 14th c mud walls 6.5 km with palace of Emir a...
🇸🇩 Sudan · Ancient city
Old Dongola Cathedral Quarter (Makurian Annex)
Makurian Christian (c. 500–1500 CE; cathedral 707 CE) · Makurian Nubian Christian
Annex quarter south of Old Dongolo's famous cruciform church, with 707 CE cathedral (32×28 m) with 6 granite columns, 11th c frescoes of archangels and king portraits, and palace a...
🇲🇱 Mali · Ancient city
Essouk-Tadmekka – Saharan Caravan City
Trans-Saharan caravan (c. 700–1400 CE; Almoravid market) · Berber–Tuareg (Tadmekka Sanhaja) / Arab caravan
Mysterious stone city in Saharan piedmont, Essouk is Tadmekka the 9th c Arab-described 'Tadmakkat' gold city with 450×250 m stone houses, mosque and 11th c Arabic stelae, on Niger–...
🇪🇬 Egypt · Ancient city
Paraetonium (Marsa Matruh) – Lagoon Fortress
Pharaonic to Byzantine (New Kingdom – 7th c CE; Ptolemaic port 300 BCE) · Egyptian / Ptolemaic / Roman / Byzantine
Egypt's western gate on Mediterranean lagoon, Paraetonium began as Ramesses II's western chain fort, then great Ptolemaic lagoon port with Alexander–Cleopatra stopover tradition; l...
🇬🇭 Ghana · Ancient city
Begho (Dwinfuor) – Akan Gold Entrepôt
Akan gold trade (c. 1000–1750 CE; peak 14th–17th c) · Akan (Bron) / Hausa Wangara merchants
Sprawling 45 ha Akan trading city with four ethnic quarters (Brong, Kramo Wangara Muslim, artisans, market), producing brass crucibles and glass beads for gold–kola caravans to Jen...
🇳🇬 Nigeria · Ancient city
Gobir (Al Kalawa) – Desert Capital Remains
Hausa–Gobir kingdom (c. 1450–1808 reform jihad; abandonment 1808) · Hausa-Gobir (king Bawa Jangwarzo, Yunfa vs Usman dan Fodio)
Final capital of animist Gobir kingdom at Al Kalawa, with 4.5 km desert mud walls and palace tell where Sultan Yunfa hosted then fought Usman dan Fodio before 1808 Sokoto jihad cap...
🇳🇬 Nigeria · Ancient city
Birnin Kebbi (Argungu) – Kebbi River Fort Town
Kebbi Kingdom (1515 Kebbi revolt from Songhai – 1808 Fulani) · Zarma–Hausa–Songhai (Kanta Kotal founder)
Rival capital to Songhai after Kebbi's 1515 revolt, Birnin Kebbi on Sokoto River with 5.8 km walls and citadel where Kanta's cavalry defeated Songhai at Surame aftermath; annual Ar...
🇪🇬 Egypt · Ancient city
El Kab (Elythias) – Walled Town & Tombs
Predynastic to Ptolemaic (c. 3500 BCE – 30 BCE; peak 1550–1070 BCE) · Egyptian (Naqada – New Kingdom – Late)
Twin to Hierakonpolis, El Kab's double walls 12 m high enclose predynastic to New Kingdom town with rock tombs narrating Hyksos expulsion (Ahmose son of Ibana biography). Temple of...
🇹🇳 Tunisia · Ancient city
Zama Regia (Siliana) – Battle Plain & Town
Numidian to Roman (3rd c BCE – 5th c CE) · Numidian / Roman
Applicant for royal Zama where Scipio defeated Hannibal 202 BCE on adjacent plain (battlefield scatter 5 km). Royal town with temple podium, walls and Byzantine fort shows Numidian...
🇬🇷 Greece · Ancient city
Knossos (Palace of Minos)
Minoan · Minoan
Knossos (Palace of Minos) in Crete, Heraklion, Greece is a Minoan ancient city attributed to Minoan culture.
🇪🇷 Eritrea · Ancient city
Adulis Bay – Axumite Port
Axumite (1st c BCE – 7th c CE; Adulis port 1st c CE Periplus) · Axumite / South Arabian / Greco-Roman trade
Axumite Mediterranean port in Zula Bay where Paribeni and Sundström found Axumite church (5th c), Roman wine amphorae and glass, linking Axum to Roman trade; Periplus harbour descr...
🇩🇿 Algeria · Ancient city
Altava (Ouled Mimoun) – Mauretanian Frontier
Roman to Vandal–Mauretanian Kingdom (1st c – 7th c CE) · Roman / Mauretanian–Berber kingdom of Altava
Most westerly Roman castrum in Algeria, Altava became 6th c Mauretanian kingdom capital of chieftain Masuna rex gentium Mauraorum, with Latin church inscriptions documenting Romano...
🇹🇳 Tunisia · Ancient city
Assuras (Zanfour) – Theatre Hill Settlement
Numidian to Roman (2nd c BCE – 5th c CE) · Numidian / Roman (Africa Proconsularis)
Hill town commanding the High Tell, Assuras' theatre (68 m) crowns a limestone spur above Oued Zanfour, with forum, arch and Byzantine chapel. Libyco-Punic stelae and Roman epitaph...
🇹🇳 Tunisia · Ancient city
Thigibba Bure (Djebba) – Hilltop Sanctuary
Numidian to Byzantine (3rd c BCE – 7th c CE) · Numidian / Punic / Roman
Ridge refuge 540 m above Bagrada plain, Thigibba Bure preserves Punic walls, Roman sanctuary terrace, mausoleum, baths and Christian basilica with mosaics, amid fig orchards famed...
🇲🇱 Mali · Ancient city
Gao-Saney – Trans-Saharan Entrepôt & Tomb of Askia's Pilgrims
Trans-Saharan (c. 600–1300 CE; peak 9th–12th c as Kawkaw) · Songhai–Berber (Gao empire; Almoravid links)
Old Gao's eastern port suburb Gao-Saney with merchant quarter and cemetery of 11th c Arabic stelae (spirals, Kufic) documenting Islamisation and gold trade to Sijilmasa; stelae mar...
🇳🇬 Nigeria · Ancient city
Wukari (Jukun) – Benue Valley Palace Area
Jukun Kwararafa (c. 1300–1900 CE; peak 16th–18th c) · Jukun (Kwararafa confederacy)
Capital of the Jukun–Kwararafa Benue empire, Wukari's palace enclosure (400×350 m) houses the Aku Uka sacred kingship shrine and town walls that controlled Benue–Cameroon corridor...
🇬🇭 Ghana · Ancient city
Bono Manso – Brong Capital & Rock Domes
Bono state (c. 1200–1723 CE; sacked by Asante) · Akan (Bono / Brong)
First Akan walled capital, Bono Manso's laterite wall (1.9 km) encloses iron workshops and overlooks granite rock domes with shrine caves, sacked 1723 by Asante, memory in Techiman...