Human history has laid its mark on every region of the world and has left significant traces of itself . There have been colossal wars that have threatened the very ground we walk on. The vast achievements of civilization from the great pyramids of Egypt to the classical architecture and culture of the Renaissance have been an inspiration to the future countless times. World tourism thrives on these sites.
- Trujillo, Peru While excavations at Huaca de la Luna and Chan Chan are well underway, in places like the Huaca del Sol they haven’t even started. The recent unearthing of a tattooed warrior princess is redefining our entire views of the civilizations that grew here.
- Jerusalem, Israel The old walled city of Jerusalem, a holy site of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, is fominated by historic sites such as the Dome of the Rock, Wailing Wall, and church of the Holy Sepulchre.
- Pompei, Italy It takes significant archaeological work to dig an entire city out of solid ash that has lain untouched for centuries. This city frozen in stone gives archeologists a unique look at ancient civilizations.
- Angkor, Cambodia The ancient Khmer civilization dominated Southeast Asia in the 9th to 15th centuries. This vast complex of ruins reveals just how sophisticated the culture actually was.
- Ashkelon, Israel This ancient seaport was inhabited by a flurry of cultures such as the Romans, Babylonians, Phoenicians, Canaanites, Muslims, and Philistines. The city is loaded with archeological finds.
- Palenque, Mexico Although not the largest Mayan site in the region, some of the finest sculptures, architecture, and bas-reliefs of the civilization can be found here. The vast complex in the state of Chiapas is filled with many large palaces and temples.
- The Pyramids, Egypt The largest man made structures in the world and are one of the most lasting symbols of ancient civilization. Numbering approximately 100, the stone monuments located across the Nile valley date back as many as 5,000 years.
- Chachapoyas, Peru The Chachapoyan culture, a foe of the Incas, are slowly becoming unraveled as their tombs set into cliff sides, walled fortresses, and cities are found in the dense cloud forest.
- Istanbul, Turkey Formerly called Byzantium and Constantinople and once the capital of the Roman and Ottoman empires, this bustling city straddling two continents is home to an astounding number of archeological sites from the Hagia Sophia, the Serpentine Column, the Maiden’s Tower, the Hippodrome, and many others.
- Anasazi Cave Dwellings, New Mexico The cliff or cave dwellings of the Anasazi built during the Pueblo III in the Canyon de Chelly period are one of the most recognizable Native American historical sites.