🇮🇳 India · Rock-cut
Elephanta Caves
Late Gupta to Early Chalukya 5th–8th century CE · Hindu (Shaiva) and Buddhist under Kalachuri/Chalukya patronage
Rock-cut Shaiva cave complex on Elephanta Island with colossal Trimurti sculpture, 5th–8th c. CE.
🇮🇳 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,…
🇮🇳 India · Rock-cut
Badami Cave Temples
Early Chalukya, 6th–7th century CE · Hindu and Jain under Early Chalukya dynasty
Four 6th-c. Chalukya sandstone cave temples at Vatapi with Nataraja and Vishnu iconography.
🇮🇳 India · Temple complex
Ajanta Caves
Satavahana early phase 200 BCE–100 CE; Vakataka renaissance 460–480 CE · Buddhist (Hinayana → Mahayana)
Thirty horseshoe-gorge rock-cut caves overlooking Waghora River with exquisite murals and sculptures: early 2nd century BCE–1st century CE Hinayana phase and later 460–480 CE Mahayana phase under…
🇮🇳 India · Temple complex
Ellora Caves
Late classical: Kalachuri, Chalukya, Rashtrakuta periods 600–1000 CE · Buddhist, Hindu (Shaiva), Jain under Rashtrakuta patronage
Largest rock-cut monastery-temple complex in world with 34 caves carved 600–1000 CE into basalt Charanandri Hills: 12 Buddhist, 17 Hindu, 5 Jain, including monolithic Kailasa Temple (Cave 16)…
🇯🇴 Jordan · Temple complex
Petra – Al-Khazneh & Ad-Deir Precincts
Nabataean 1st c BCE–1st c CE · Nabataean
Detailed precinct within Petra (already listed as city) – but as distinct temple elaboration: Al-Khazneh 40 m façade and Ad-Deir 50 m, both tombs-temples with Hellenistic façades.
🇪🇹 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.