| 1. The Terracotta Army, China |
Located in Xian within the Shaanxi province, these terracotta soldiers guard the final resting place of China’s first emperor. Qin Shi Huang wanted to be treated with the same reverence and respect in death as he was in life and that is why he had more than 1,000 soldiers made to stand over his tomb. What is even more amazing is that each warrior statue was given specific detailing.
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| 2. The Great Pyramids of Giza, Egypt |
Visiting this area of North Africa feels very adventurous. The position of the famous pyramids and Sphinx in the vast Sahara desert next to Egypt’s capital Cairo means that archaeologists are still uncovering hidden treasures. The Egyptians were able to build up a great legacy and keep it well preserved to this day. In fact the Pyramids are the last of the original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World to be still standing. Meanwhile The National Museum in Cairo knows no equals and can even be a fun place to take kids with its collection of mummies.
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| 3. The National Archeological Museum of Athens, Greece |
You can visit the cradle of Western democratic civilisation to find out more about its archeological sites. The National Archeological Museum of Athens contains impressive statues of the gods of the day but it is not all devoted to Greece with a comprehensive selection of Egyptian artifacts too.
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| 4. Madhya Pradesh, India |
The central position of this state in India made it popular with many tribes and they created a rich archaeological history for visitors to enjoy. Some may even be shocked at the graphic carvings that were left of erotic lovers in temple walls. If tourists prefer they can head to the largest mosque in India which is located in the state capital of Bhopal. Older still is the Sanchi Stupa temple which was built by Emperor Ashoka the Great in the third century Before Christ.
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| 5. Pompeii, Italy |
The Roman town of Pompeii may have seemed like it was built in an enviable location overlooking the Bay of Naples and enjoying the southern Italian sun. But when the Vesuvius volcano erupted in 79AD the town was covered in an unsightly mass of smoke and ash. While this was deadly and devastating for the people living there at the time, that hellish fallout had the advantage of preserving the city in immaculate condition to make it Italy’s finest archeological attraction.
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| 6. Petra, Jordan |
The ancient Nabataean Kingdom of Petra rivals the Pyramids for beauty and archaeological interest. These renowned traders set up homes for themselves deep in the pink rocks of Petra and decorated them with amazing temple facades. In that way Petra became a staging post for Mediterranean trade on the way from far off lands such as India and China. So completely did the Nabataean influence spread over the vast site that is Petra that archaeologists are still making discoveries there on a regular basis.
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| 7. Machu Picchu, Peru |
Machu Picchu, the lost city of the Incas in Peru, needs no introduction for its archaeological wonders. Considered the archaeological capital of the Americas visitors here can be rewarded with the site of a mystical temple high up in the Andes Mountains. The Secret Valley of the Incas contains many gems as does the Inca Trail while anyone interested in the Inca civilisation will be able to tell more about their way of life from their distinctive style.
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| 8. Ephesus, Turkey |
Tourists love to travel to Turkey for its exotic climate and culture but the country also has a wealth of archaeological sites. The most popular of these is Ephesus where the remains of an ancient classical library have been perfectly preserved (unlike the Alexandria library in Egypt which was totally destroyed). It is very pleasant to walk around the Celsius library which is near to the town of Selcuk.
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| 9. Rapa Nui, Easter Island |
The giant stone heads which sit solemnly on Easter Island are one of the world’s archaeological mysteries. Located off the west coast of South America, Easter Island is a special destination for archaeologists as it is one of the most isolated islands on the planet. This is evidenced by the fact the early settlers called it the ‘Navel of the World.’ No one knows how the settlers got there or created the Moai, but one thing we know is that they managed to bring about their own destruction by deforesting the land.
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| 10. Aleppo, Syria |
Syria is known for having two of the oldest cities to be continually inhabited in the world, the capital Damascus and the slightly larger city of Aleppo. It is possible to take a train between the two to see Aleppo which was voted the Islamic capital of culture for 2006. There are a number of amazing sites including the Mosque and Citadel and only recently excavations of the Didarieh Cave in northern Aleppo uncovered stone tools that dated all the way back to the Yabroudi civilization.
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