The following images depict important locations, art, and architecture of prehistory and the ancient world.
1. Cave Paintings; Lascaux, France
17,000 BC - 10,000 BC
Lascaux is the setting of a complex of caves in southwestern France famous for its Paleolithiccave paintings. The original caves are located near the village of Montignac. They contain some of the best-known Upper Paleolithic art. These paintings are estimated to be 17,300 years old. They primarily consist of primitive images of large animals, most of which are known from fossil evidence to have lived in the area at the time.
2. Mount Temple in Jerusalem, Israel (First and Second)
Western Wall also known as the Wailing Wall (Third Image)
Temple Mount is sacred to Jews, Muslims and Christians. Originally, it was the site of the great Temple of Jerusalem, the holiest place in Judaism.
The Western Wall was built by King Herod in 20 BC during his expansion of the Temple enclosure, and is part of a retaining wall that enclosed the western part of Temple Mount. According to the Roman-Jewish historian Josephus, construction of the walls took 11 years, during which time it rained in Jerusalem only at night so as not to interfere with the workers' progress.
In 70 AD, the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple. During the Ottoman Period (beginning in the 16th century), the wall became the Jews' chief place of pilgrimage, where they came to lament the destruction of the Temple.
3. Dome of the Rock; Jerusalem, Israel
The Dome of the Rock was built by the Umayyad caliph Abd al-Malik from 688 to 691 AD. It was not intended to be a mosque, but a shrine for pilgrims. According to tradition, the Dome of the Rock was built to commemorate Muhammad's ascension into heaven after his night journey to Jerusalem (Qur'an 17).
The Dome of the Rock is the oldest Islamic monument that stands today and certainly one of the most beautiful. It also boasts the oldest surviving mihrab (niche indicating the direction of Mecca) in the world.
4. Dharmekh Stupa; Sarnatha, India
Sarnath is the site of the deer park where Gautama Buddha first taught the Dharma after his enlightenment. Sarnath is one of four holy Buddhist sites sanctioned by the Buddha himself for pilgrimage.
The other three sites are: Lumbini (birth); Bodh Gaya (enlightenment); and Kushinagar (death).
Acropolis of Athens
5. Parthenon; Athens, Greece
The Parthenon in Athens is the most famous surviving building of Ancient Greece.
The Parthenon has stood atop the Acropolis of Athens for nearly 2,500 years and was built to give thanks to Athena, the city's patron goddess, for the salvation of Athens and Greece in the Persian Wars. The building was officially called the Temple of Athena the Virgin; "Parthenon" comes from the Greek word parthenos, "virgin."
Throughout its long life, the Parthenon has functioned most importantly as a Greek temple, but has also been a treasury, a fortress, a church, and a mosque. Today, it is one of the most recognizable icons and popular tourist attractions in the world.
6. Pantheon; Italy
The Pantheon was built for all the gods of Ancient Rome. Almost two thousand years after it was built, the Pantheon's dome is the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome. It is still used today for worship.
7. Petra; Jordan
Petra is the historic and archaeological remains of a city located in Jordan built in the 6th century BC. It has become an image of Jordan as well as the most visited location in Jordan. It was chosen to be one of the new 7 Wonders of the World. Petra, located on the edge of the Arabian desert, was home to Aretas IV, king of the Nabataeans, who were masters of water technology. The facade of a 138 ft.—high Hellenistic temple on the El-Deir Monastery—an example of traditional Middle Eastern culture—sits within the Palace Tombs of Petra.
8. Colosseum; Italy
The Colosseum is located in Rome, Italy. It is an amphitheater used during the Roman Empire for gladiatorial games and public spectacles.
9. The Great Pyramid; Egypt
The Great Pyramid of Giza located in Egypt is the oldest and largest at the site. The Great Pyramid of Khufu covers 13 acres at its base and is approximately 137 meters (450 feet) in height. It was originally cased with polished limestone, creating a smooth exterior. Over the years, the smooth limestone was looted and used in other parts of the world. The pyramids were built with huge red granite blocks that weighed about 2 ½ tons.
10. The Great Sphinx. To the Ancient Egyptians, the sphinx was a lion, which was a guardian to the sacred monuments. The lion had the head of a pharaoh who wore the royal headdress. Today his nose is missing.
11. Roman Forum; Italy
The oldest and most important structures of Ancient Rome are located in the Roman Forum built on the Palatine Hill. The Old Republic had its formal Comitium there where the Senate, and the Republican government began. The Forum served as the city center where Roman citizens gathered for justice and faith.
12. Sankore Madrasah; Mali
Sankore Mosque is the most recognizable image of the city Timbuktu. The city was transformed into a religious and intellectual center of the Islamic and Sub-Saharan African world during the Mali Empire. This is the Sankora Mosque (one of three) that made up the university.
13. Terracotta Army; China
The Terracotta Army dates back to 210 BC and was found near the mausoleum of the first emperor of China. Current estimates of the three pits discovered are 8,000 soldiers varying in size by importance, 130 chariots with 520 horses, and 150 cavalry horses. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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