When you think of pyramids, the towering limestone marvels of Giza probably spring to mind first. Yet there are ten lesser known pyramids scattered across the world that rival the famous ones for intrigue, oddity, and sheer audacity. In this roundup we’ll travel from England’s quirky graveyard monument to the desert sands of Sudan, uncovering the hidden stories behind each unusual structure.

Exploring 10 Lesser Known Pyramid Marvels

10 Mad Jack Fuller’s Tomb

The traditional Egyptian pyramid served as a grand burial chamber for pharaohs, but in 18th‑century England a very different kind of tomb emerged. John “Mad Jack” Fuller, a flamboyant landowner and MP, chose a pyramid shape for his final resting place, turning the quiet churchyard into a stage for his eccentric legacy.

Fuller inherited a sprawling English estate and Jamaican plantations at the tender age of twenty in 1777. Flush with wealth, he let his whims run wild, funding a series of oddities that would later be called follies.

His parliamentary career was equally theatrical; he rode to London in a procession of armed servants, and his fiery temperament even earned him a removal by the serjeant‑at‑arms. Yet it is his building projects that endure, especially the pyramid‑shaped tomb.

While still alive, Fuller commissioned the pyramid to be raised in the churchyard. Legend says his corpse was posed at a banquet table with wine, and shattered glass was strewn on the floor to trap any devil daring to claim his soul.

9 German World War I Helmets

The spiked Pickelhaube, iconic of German soldiers in World War I, became a visual shorthand for the “Hun” enemy. After the war, Allied forces sought a striking symbol of victory, and New York’s Victory Way hosted a pyramid built entirely of captured German helmets.

This hollowed‑out monument was clad with roughly twelve thousand helmets and functioned as a fundraising centerpiece for the Fifth War Loan, urging citizens to help pay off U.S. war debt. Crowned with a winged figure—likely representing Nike, the goddess of triumph—the pyramid stood as a dramatic reminder of Allied supremacy.

8 The Bent Pyramid

Egyptian pyramids are usually celebrated for their flawless geometry, but the Bent Pyramid of Sneferu tells a different story. Early pyramid builders experimented with stepped forms before achieving smooth sides, and Sneferu’s experiment resulted in a structure whose angle shifts midway up.

Most Egyptian pyramids slope at about 51 degrees, yet Sneferu’s pyramid starts at a steeper 55 degrees before flattening to 43 degrees halfway up. This abrupt change earned it the nickname “The Bent Pyramid” and hints at a construction hiccup or design revision.

Modern researchers have used cosmic‑ray imaging to probe its interior, confirming that the pyramid was built in three distinct phases. Despite speculation about hidden chambers, no significant undiscovered rooms have been located within its core.

7 Brazil’s Pyramids

Pyramids are a universal architectural solution, and South America is no exception. While Egyptian pyramids rise from massive stone blocks, Brazil’s ancient pyramids are constructed from compacted seashells, showing how local materials shape design.

These shell‑built monuments date back to roughly 3000 BC, making them older than the earliest Egyptian pyramids. Their construction spanned decades or even centuries, reflecting a gradual, community‑driven effort.

Initially dismissed as mere refuse heaps, scholars later recognized their significance. Unfortunately, because they were long misidentified, fewer than ten percent of Brazil’s pyramids survive today; many were dismantled to pave roads.

The surviving sites offer a glimpse into a vanished culture that chose shells over stone, reminding us that the pyramid shape transcends geography and material.

6 Alexander Golod’s Pyramids

Not every pyramid is an ancient tomb; some modern visionaries claim the shape harbors mysterious powers. Russian defense contractor Alexander Golod built a series of metal‑and‑fiberglass pyramids outside Moscow to test the so‑called “pyramid power” theory.

Over the course of erecting twenty such structures, Golod reported a suite of benefits: boosted immunity, accelerated seed germination, ozone‑layer repair, and even a cure for impotence. Mainstream science, however, has yet to replicate these extraordinary claims.

His most imposing pyramid stood over 45 meters (about 150 feet) tall and weighed a staggering 55 tons. Despite its size, a severe storm in 2017 demolished the structure, illustrating that even alleged mystical designs are vulnerable to nature.

Golod’s experiments continue to spark debate, straddling the line between avant‑garde engineering and fringe pseudoscience.

5 Koh Ker Pyramid

Deep within Cambodia’s dense jungle lies Koh Ker, once the capital of the Khmer Empire after Angkor. The site is far less trodden, partly because remnants of 20th‑century conflict, including unexploded mines, still litter the area.

Visitors who brave the trek can admire a pyramid built without mortar; the massive stone blocks rely solely on their weight to stay in place, a testament to ancient engineering prowess.

Today, the original stairways are ruined, so wooden steps have been added to allow tourists to reach the summit safely. The pyramid’s exterior showcases intricate carvings that hint at its ceremonial past.

Archaeologists suspect a hidden underground entrance may exist, but until it’s uncovered, the mystery remains confined to the pyramid’s outer walls.

4 La Quemada Pyramids

Mexico’s La Quemada is an enigmatic archaeological complex perched on a hill, and scholars still debate who built it and why. Among its structures are several steep‑sided pyramids that differ from the broader, earth‑filled mounds typical of Mesoamerica.

The Votive Pyramid once crowned a modest temple where offerings were deposited, while the Sacrificial Pyramid is thought to have hosted human sacrifices, with victims possibly being hurled down its steep steps.

Recent forensic analysis of bones uncovered at the site reveals evidence of cannibalism: cut marks and burn patterns suggest that victors may have consumed the bodies of their enemies.

Additionally, skulls bearing holes hint at a gruesome display practice, perhaps involving the heads being mounted on the pyramids themselves.

3 Pyramid Of Cestius

While the Egyptian pyramids predate the Roman Empire by millennia, the allure of their shape crossed the Mediterranean. Gaius Cestius, a Roman magistrate, commissioned a pyramid tomb in Rome between 18 and 12 BC after being inspired by Egyptian architecture.

The structure survived because it was later incorporated into Rome’s Aurelian Walls, whereas a larger Roman pyramid was dismantled in the 16th century for building material.

Cestius’s pyramid features steeper sides than its Egyptian cousins, suggesting Roman engineers believed they could improve upon the original design using concrete. Though little is known about Cestius himself, his tomb remains a must‑see landmark for visitors to the Eternal City.

2 Pyramids Of Argolis

In the second century AD, Greek traveler Pausanias described a pyramid‑like building on the road from Argos to Epidaurus, noting shield‑shaped reliefs on its surface. Though that particular structure has vanished, the ruins at Hellinikon preserve a small stone pyramid.

Early scholars assumed the Hellinikon pyramid served as a tomb, echoing Pausanias’s description. Modern archaeology, however, has revealed a different purpose: the pyramid functioned as a defensive outpost, housing guards who monitored the adjacent roadway.

This unusual military use sets the Argolis pyramid apart from the more common funerary or ceremonial pyramids found elsewhere.

1 Sudanese Pyramids

When most people picture pyramids, Egypt’s Giza complex dominates the mental image. Yet neighboring Sudan boasts twice as many pyramids as Egypt, forming a vast necropolis of Nubian royal tombs.

These Nubian pyramids, constructed around 700 BC—roughly two millennia after the Egyptian originals—are smaller in scale. Rather than housing the dead inside the structure, the Nubians interred their rulers beneath the pyramids, creating a distinct burial tradition.

Centuries of stone‑raiding left many of Sudan’s pyramids damaged, but UNESCO now protects the remaining sites as World Heritage monuments. Increasingly, travelers seeking a quieter alternative to the crowds at Giza are turning to Sudan’s pyramids for a more intimate glimpse into ancient pyramid culture.

Home to one of the world’s most iconic civilizations, Egypt overflows with historic treasures. While many travelers zero in on the legendary pyramids, the nation hides a myriad of other monuments that reveal how the ancient Egyptians truly lived. In this guide we’ll tour ten fascinating Egyptian wonders that sit just outside the shadow of the pyramids, each offering a fresh glimpse into the past.

10 Fascinating Egyptian Sites You Must Explore

10 Hatshepsut’s Mortuary Temple

We’ve already chatted about Hatshepsut, one of the most compelling figures in Egyptian lore. This queen‑turned‑pharaoh seized the throne when her stepson Thutmose III was too young, and she left an impressive architectural legacy – her own mortuary temple.

Perched on the cliffs of Deir el‑Bahri, the sanctuary is known as “Djeser‑djeseru,” meaning “the holy of holies.” Though the monument still dominates the horizon, its history is tangled in political drama: after Hatshepsut’s death, both Thutmose III and later Akhenaten altered its decorations to suit their own narratives.

The lowest terrace once showcased a luxuriant garden brimming with exotic flora from the fabled land of Punt – a garden that no longer survives. Behind that verdant space lay a series of reliefs and statues, many of which were smashed or defaced by Thutmose III and Akhenaten as part of their attempts to rewrite history.

The second level houses two grand colonnades that functioned like ancient Facebook walls. The Birth Colonnade dramatizes Hatshepsut’s divine conception, where Amun‑Ra’s breath supposedly impregnates her mother Ahmose. The Punt Colonnade celebrates her famous expedition to Punt, depicting the return laden with exotic woods, cosmetics, and creatures.

Unfortunately, Thutmose III vandalized many of Hatshepsut’s portrayals, while Akhenaten went further, erasing images of Amun‑Ra to promote his own sun‑disk deity, the Aten. These defacements show how rulers used art to shape religious and political narratives.

Today, the temple complex still contains four chapels, Senenmut’s tomb, and a sanctuary dedicated to Amun‑Ra, offering scholars a vivid window into the daily life, religious practices, and power struggles of ancient Egypt.

9 The Tuna El‑Gebel Catacombs

The ancient city of Hermopolis Magna, capital of the Hare province and famed as the “City of the Eight,” was devoted to Thoth, the god of wisdom. While the city itself is intriguing, archaeologists uncovered something truly remarkable nearby.

On the western bank of Tunah al‑Jabal, a 1930s university expedition revealed a sprawling necropolis devoted to Thoth, known as Tuna el‑Gebel. This burial ground may stretch all the way to Hermopolis Magna, and researchers have already mapped roughly three kilometres (about two miles) of tunnels and chambers.

As expected, the catacombs house countless human remains, allowing relatives to pay respects without the elements interfering. Among the tombs lies the burial of Petosiris, a high priest of Thoth, and the site also contains an astonishing array of animal interments.

The Egyptians frequently dedicated animals to their deities, and Thoth’s cult amassed a veritable bestiary. Excavations uncovered thousands of mummified creatures – baboons, ibis and even ibis eggs, cats, larks, kestrels, and surprisingly, pigs.

Every creature buried here was considered sacred, but baboons and ibises held special prominence. Thoth was commonly depicted with an ibis head, and baboons were believed to assist scribes, serving as his loyal companions.

8 The Colossi Of Memnon

The twin statues known as the Colossi of Memnon dominate the landscape, each towering over the ruins of a once‑grand mortuary temple. They represent Amenhotep III and were erected to guard the temple that now lies eroded and pillaged.

Both monoliths bear tiny carvings of Amenhotep III’s wife and mother at their bases, as well as two Nile deities winding papyrus around a hieroglyph meaning “unite.” Early Greek visitors mistook the statues for the legendary hero‑king Memnon, son of the dawn goddess Eos, and thus the name endured.

Following a 27 BC earthquake, the northern statue suffered a fracture that caused it to emit a faint “song” at sunrise. Greeks imagined this was the mournful cry of Memnon hearing his mother Eos rise each dawn.

Modern scholars suggest the sound was produced by moisture trapped in the porous stone, which evaporated as the morning sun heated the rock. The phenomenon ceased in AD 199 after the statue was repaired, ending the ancient “singing” legend.

7 Malkata Palace

When Amenhotep III ascended the throne at merely twelve years old, he inherited a vast, affluent empire. Preferring diplomacy over warfare, he poured resources into constructing an opulent residence – the palace of Malkata, essentially ancient Egypt’s answer to a Californian mansion.

The complex sprawls across roughly 800,000 square metres (about nine million square feet). Its lavish interiors featured a library, kitchens, administrative offices, audience chambers, and festive halls, all adorned with vivid paintwork.

Beyond sheer extravagance, the palace served practical purposes: it housed Amenhotep III’s extended family, servants, foreign guests, and a sizable harem of princesses, each with their own retinue. One visiting foreign princess arrived with three hundred attendants of her own. The palace also accommodated participants of the Heb Sed jubilee festivals, earning it the moniker “House of Joy.”

The most curious discovery at Malkata is its artificial lake, a T‑shaped water body covering about 3.5 square kilometres (1.5 square miles). This engineered lake allowed the royal family to sail leisurely, underscoring the palace’s blend of luxury and ingenuity.

6 Tanis

The “lost city” of Tanis captured headlines comparable to King Tutankhamun’s tomb, yet its fame was eclipsed by world events. Known as Djanet to the ancient Egyptians and Zoan in the Old Testament, Tanis served as Egypt’s capital during the 21st and 22nd Dynasties before political upheavals shifted power elsewhere.

Strategically positioned near the Asiatic coastline, Tanis thrived as a bustling port. Its wealth manifested in a grand temple dedicated to Amun and in the opulent royal tombs that later attracted the attention of archaeologists.

In 1939, French Egyptologist Pierre Montet concluded years of excavation by uncovering a pristine royal burial complex. The tombs, untouched by looters, contained three chambers brimming with golden masks, silver coffins, and exquisite jewelry, offering an unparalleled glimpse into royal funerary customs.

Unfortunately, the discovery coincided with the outbreak of World War II, which diverted global focus away from Egypt’s archaeological treasures. Despite the temporary fade from headlines, Tanis remains a site of immense significance, rivaling the most celebrated finds in Egyptian archaeology.

5 The Temple Of Seti I

Located at Abydos, one of Egypt’s most sacred locales, the Temple of Seti I stands as a testament to early dynastic reverence. Abydos, originally devoted to the war‑god Wepwawet, gradually became the heartland of Osiris worship, and its necropolis Umm el‑Qaʿab is considered a precursor to the later pyramid‑building tradition.

The temple itself follows an unusual L‑shaped plan but shares typical Egyptian features, such as two expansive hypostyle halls supported by rows of massive columns. These halls showcase intricate carvings and narrative reliefs.

Seti I’s death left the outer hypostyle hall unfinished, prompting his son Ramses II to complete it. Consequently, many reliefs within this hall depict Ramses II measuring the temple with the goddess Selket, offering papyrus to deities, and receiving blessings – a clear sign of the son’s desire to imprint his own legacy.

The inner hypostyle hall, largely completed under Seti I, boasts more refined artwork. Here, Osiris and Horus pour holy water over the pharaoh, while Seti I is shown crowned by the gods and kneeling before Horus and Osiris. The side walls feature piers where Seti I dons the double crown, symbolizing the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt.

Beyond the halls, the temple complex contains seven sanctuaries dedicated to various deities, a specific sanctuary honoring Seti I, inner chambers for Osiris, several chapels, and a king list gallery documenting Seti I’s ancestors.

4 Babylon Fortress

The Babylon Fortress, perched in Cairo and sometimes called the “Castle of Babylon” or “Castle of Egypt,” was not an Egyptian creation. Roman emperors Trajan and later Arcadius refurbished a pre‑existing Persian stronghold, turning it into a vital supply route linking the Red Sea to Alexandria.

Over time, the fortress became a sanctuary for Coptic Christians, especially as they faced persecution from Western Christian factions. Within its walls, several churches were built, the most renowned being the Hanging Church.

The Hanging Church, also known as the “Staircase Church,” sits atop a passage within the fortress. Visitors ascend 29 steps through an ornate gate on Sharʿa Mari Girgis Street to reach the sanctuary, which houses an 11th‑century pulpit supported by thirteen pillars representing Christ and his twelve disciples. Its oldest icon dates to the eighth century, while a lintel depicting Christ entering Jerusalem may date back to the fifth century.

3 Deir El‑Medina

Just outside the famed Valley of the Kings, the settlement of Deir el‑Medina housed the artisans and laborers responsible for constructing and adorning the pharaohs’ tombs. Records from the village reveal a community deeply committed to their craft, eager to create lasting monuments for their sovereigns.

These documents also expose a striking episode of early labor activism. During the reign of Ramses III, a massive building program in Thebes strained the grain supplies used to pay the workers. After six months of delayed wages, the workforce, faced with hunger, staged a sit‑in at several temples, demanding their overdue rations.

One of the surviving strike accounts records the workers gathering behind the temple of Baenre‑meryamun, shouting at the mayor of Thebes, who then sent the gardener Meniufer of the chief overseer of cattle to offer 50 sacks of emmer wheat as temporary relief until the pharaoh could provide regular provisions.

For scholars today, the Deir el‑Medina archives are invaluable. The entire corpus of texts is accessible through the Deir el‑Medina database, offering insights into daily life, labor relations, and the social fabric of ancient Egypt.

2 The Statue Of Meritamun

Unlike many of the other sites on this list, the town of Akhmim remains a bustling modern settlement, overlaying the ancient Egyptian city of Ipu. During excavations, archaeologists uncovered fragments of a statue of Ramses II and, most notably, a largely intact 11‑metre‑high (36 ft) statue of Meritamun, the daughter of Ramses II.

The statue lay prone in the earth, prompting workers to carefully raise it upright. After repositioning, they chose to leave the monument exposed, still set several metres below ground level, allowing visitors a dramatic glimpse of the ancient sculpture emerging from the soil.

Travel writers describe the scene vividly: driving through the crowded, dusty streets of Akhmim, one suddenly spots a massive hole in the ground, within which the head of a grand female statue peers out, creating a surreal and unforgettable sight.

1 Aswan Granite Quarry

The ancient Egyptians revered granite as a premier building material, employing it for pyramids, temples, and monumental lintels. Much of this prized stone originated from the Aswan granite quarry, a sprawling complex covering roughly 150 square kilometres (about 60 square miles), which also housed sandstone, grinding‑stone, and other quarry sites.

The quarry’s most astonishing secret is an unfinished obelisk – the largest ever attempted by ancient hands. Had it been completed and raised, this monolith would have weighed an estimated 1,200 tons and stood an awe‑inspiring 42 metres (137 ft) tall, dwarfing any other known Egyptian obelisk. Scholars believe the project was commissioned by the female pharaoh Hatshepsut.

The reasons behind the abandonment remain speculative. Some suggest hidden cracks or imperfections in the stone were discovered only after quarrying began. Others propose that the extraction process itself destabilized the monolith, prompting workers to halt the venture. Regardless, the unfinished monument provides modern archaeologists a rare, in‑situ look at ancient quarrying techniques.

Freelance writer and author S.E. Batt, a self‑confessed fan of keyboards, cats, and tea (though the trio never quite mixes), shares his musings on social media under @Simon_Batt and on his personal website at www.sebatt.com.

We’ve all heard of the Pyramids of Giza—thousands of years old, and just about the most famous structures on the planet. Yet ancient Egypt doesn’t own the pyramid game; humanity has been riffing on the basic shape for millennia, adding all sorts of creative twists. In this roundup we present the 10 greatest alternative pyramids ever imagined or constructed (including a few that never quite made it off the drawing board):

Why These 10 Greatest Alternative Pyramids Matter

10 The English Pyramid of Death

Thomas Willson, a forward‑thinking Londoner in 1829, imagined a colossal pyramid mausoleum that could hold five million bodies. His design would have towered ninety‑four stories—taller than the Chrysler Building’s seventy‑seven floors—and sat smack‑dab in the heart of the capital. Willson pitched the structure as a tidy, hygienic, and eye‑catching solution to graveyard overcrowding, even expecting picnickers to stroll beneath its shadow while it generated a tidy ten‑million‑pound profit.

Not everyone was sold. A historian later dismissed the scheme as a “nightmarish combination of megalomaniacal Neo‑Classicism and dehumanised Utilitarian efficiency,” essentially calling it a terrible idea. Public sentiment soured, and Londoners apparently preferred green parks to a towering “pyramid of death,” sealing the project’s fate before a single stone was laid.

9 The Roman Pyramid of Cestius

When Rome annexed Egypt, the empire fell under the spell of the Egyptian necropolis. Gaius Cestius, a Roman magistrate, commissioned a 121‑foot (37‑metre) pyramid in his own honour—an unmistakable nod to the Egyptian style. The structure still stands in the city’s fabric, a testament to Rome’s brief fascination with pyramid building.

Unfortunately, like many ancient tombs, Cestius’s pyramid was looted in antiquity, leaving its original contents scattered and its legacy a cautionary tale about the perils of ostentatious burial architecture.

8 The Upside‑Down Underground Pyramid

Mexico City’s dense streets left architects with a quandary: how to erect a sixty‑five‑storey pyramid without choking the skyline? Their answer was to flip the idea upside‑down, sinking a massive pyramid beneath a glass‑topped plaza. The proposal envisions offices, homes and shops descending deep underground, letting the city’s historic roots surface for all to see.

Backed by a projected $800 million budget, the design also promises to “dig down through the layers of cities to uncover our roots.” While the concept is daring, municipal enthusiasm remains tepid, and the project has yet to break ground.

7 The Great Pyramid of Cholula

Most people assume the Giza pyramids are the world’s largest, but Mexico’s Great Pyramid of Cholula dwarfs them in volume. Though not as tall, this massive earthen mound spreads over a wider footprint, built layer by layer from the third century BC through the ninth AD by successive Mesoamerican cultures.

Today the pyramid is cloaked in vegetation, masquerading as a hill, with a 16th‑century Spanish church perched atop its summit—a striking blend of pre‑Columbian engineering and colonial architecture.

6 The Nubian Pyramids of Sudan

While Egypt commands most of the pyramid spotlight, Sudan boasts over 250 Nubian pyramids, constructed primarily in the third century BC—centuries after Egypt’s final pyramids were raised. These slender, steep‑sided monuments range from six to thirty‑six metres in height.

Many of Sudan’s pyramids have only recently been uncovered, suggesting either a remarkable ancient knack for concealment or modern archaeologists’ bias toward flashier sites. Their discovery continues to reshape our understanding of pyramid distribution in ancient Africa.

5 The Pyramid Mausoleum of China’s First Emperor

Built between 246 BC and 208 BC, the First Emperor’s mausoleum is a massive underground complex riddled with lethal traps. Legend says 700,000 laborers toiled on it, and that the emperor ordered childless concubines—and even workers—to be buried alive to guard his afterlife palace.

The site still harbours a mercury‑filled moat, with dangerous mercury levels recorded millennia later. Chinese authorities have hesitated to fully excavate, citing insufficient archaeological technology—or perhaps a healthy respect for the ancient security system.

4 The Upside‑Down Slovakian Pyramid

In 1983, architects in Bratislava designed the Slovak Radio Building to soar 262 feet (80 m) into the sky. However, a misinterpretation of the blueprints turned the structure into an inverted pyramid, giving the concert hall a precarious, upside‑down silhouette that seems ready to tumble at any moment.

3 The Giant Pyramid of German WWI Helmets

After World War I, captured German helmets were stacked into a towering pyramid at New York’s Grand Central Terminal. The macabre monument celebrated victory, but would likely raise eyebrows if erected today.

Historically, such displays echo older, far more gruesome practices—like Tamerlane’s infamous pyramid of 90,000 skulls, constructed to intimidate besieged foes.

2 The German Pyramid of Death

In 2007, German entrepreneurs unveiled plans for a 1,900‑foot (580 m) multicoloured pyramid intended to house the cremated remains of up to forty million people. For a modest fee, individuals could purchase a coloured block to encase their ashes after death.

The venture secured €115,000 in government funding, but local opposition and waning interest stalled the project. The idea remains a striking, if controversial, vision of monumental memorialization.

1 The Mars Pyramid

NASA’s Curiosity rover captured an oddly pyramid‑shaped rock on Mars, sparking speculation that the planet hosts structures reminiscent of Earth’s ancient monuments. Scientists attribute the shape to wind erosion, yet fringe theorists claim it as evidence of ancient Martian architects.

Regardless of speculation, the formation is roughly the size of a football, reminding us that even other worlds can echo humanity’s love of the pyramid silhouette.

The Giza Pyramids were constructed about 4,500 years ago. As breathtaking as these monuments are, they are not the oldest. Other archaeological sites are far more ancient than the Giza complex. This list looks at the most intriguing candidates known for their uniqueness or historical importance, including the largest human-made landscape and how avocados led to the discovery of a massive, peculiar megalithic complex.

10 The Tel Tsaf Charcoal—7,000 Years Old

The remains of a prehistoric village still exist in Israel. Located in the Jordan Valley, something sets it apart from other settlements of the same age. That something was charcoal. Sure, it sounds boring, but when archaeologists tested the scorched stuff, they discovered that the wood was 7,000 years old. But there was more.

The wood belonged to olive and fig trees. This was rather surprising. The specimens were the result of fruit tree cultivation, proving that olive and fig horticulture flourished long before the pyramids.

The find provided the earliest example of this type of farming but also showed that the trees didn’t just provide food and firewood for the villagers. It made them rich. Most of the homes had silos that could store massive amounts of crops, more than each family could ever need for their own personal use. This strongly suggested that the village did long-distance trading with dried figs and olive oil.^[1]

9 The Janera Complex—7,000 Years Old

In 2022, developers wanted to plant avocado trees. They had their eye on a patch of land in Huelva, Spain. Before they could plant anything, however, a permit was required, which called for a land survey. As the surveyors discovered one stone after the other, it became clear that they were walking through a massive megalithic complex.

The La Torre-La Janera site, aged at roughly 7,000 years, contained over 500 standing stones, although many are still believed to be buried. The sheer number guaranteed its place among the biggest complexes in Europe, but one feature set Janera apart. It held the most diverse collection of different megalithic structures found anywhere in the Iberian Peninsula.

Most other sites consist only of dolmens or stone circles. But this complex contained a striking collection of dolmens, circles, mounds, enclosures, the said 500-plus standing stones, and cists (casket-like stone boxes).^[2]

8 The Vinor Roundel—7,000 Years Old

The oldest evidence of architecture in Europe is a mysterious group of earthworks called roundels. Hundreds dot the landscape across Central Europe, and as their name suggests, they are round structures. In the Czech Republic, the Vinor Roundel was discovered by construction diggers in the 1980s, but it wasn’t until 2022 that the ruins were fully excavated.

The structure is enigmatic, but researchers believe it might’ve been the handiwork of a Stone Age community that used the roundel as a meeting place 7,000 years ago. This particular building measured 180 feet (55 meters) in diameter and had three entrances. The people probably belonged to the Stroked Pottery culture. They were farmers and accomplished longhouse builders who flourished in the area between 4900 BC and 4400 BC.^[3]

7 The Arma Veirana Grave—10,000 Years Old

In 2017, researchers made a sad discovery. While digging in Italy’s Arma Veirana cave, they uncovered the grave of a baby girl. Despite the tragic circumstances, it piqued their interest. In Europe, such ancient infant graves are extremely rare. The baby, whom they affectionately called “Neve,” stood out for another reason. Her grave was 10,000 years old, making her the oldest female child discovered in Europe.

But Neve had one more surprise for the researchers. Her burial provided an answer to a simple but hexing question, “How did people carry their infants back then?” A fair guess was that people used animal skins or degradable fabrics to make baby slings, which could explain why none have survived to modern times. Neve was the first proof of this.

In 2022, a new study examined the shells surrounding her remains. Their position and her body posture strongly suggested that she’d been buried in a shell-decorated baby sling, probably the same one used by Neve’s parents to carry her around during her short life.^[4]

6 The Wurdi Youang Stones—11,000 Years Old

The Wurdi Youang stone arrangement is located west of Melbourne, Australia. This ancient place consists of 90 carefully arranged blocks of basalt, a feature that gives the site a distinct Stonehenge-like flavor. However, the Wurdi Youang stones are much smaller. The tallest ones are no higher than a person’s waist.

Although the true purpose of the arrangement remains unknown, researchers are confident that Aboriginal astronomers used the stones to track the movement of the sun and mark the solstices.

Stonehenge might be taller, but it’s not the oldest. In 2016, geologists and other experts studied the site and concluded that it could be as old as 11,000 years. If true, that will make Wurdi Youang the world’s first observatory.^[5]

5 The LSU Mounds—11,000 Years Old

If you blink, your brain might dismiss the LSU mounds as landscaping features. Especially because the pair can be found on the Louisiana State University campus—not where one would expect to find the earliest human-made structures in the Americas. But sure enough, these grassy, well-manicured peaks go back 11,000 years.

Well, at least one of them does. When researchers recently clambered up the 20-foot (6-meter) slopes, they extracted cores filled with ancient clay, ash, plants, and animal bones. These bits dated the so-called Mound B as the record breaker. Mound A was 7,500 years old.

The builders didn’t scrape the heaps together in one day. Research shows that indigenous people spent thousands of years building them up, constantly adding layers of clay and burning organic material on the mounds. Interestingly, about 6,000 years ago, when both mounds were completed, they also lined up with a bright star called Arcturus.^[6]

4 The Kimberley Gwion Gallery—12,000 Years Old

In Western Australia, there is a collection of rock art unique to the Kimberley region. Done in the Gwion style, the Aboriginal art shows human figures adorned with anklets, bracelets, and headdresses. When it was first discovered, the work was clearly ancient, but putting a date on the gallery wasn’t easy. For a while, experts tentatively tagged it at 17,000 years old.

In 2020, scientists noticed wasp nests in the area. They were old, but any art behind them was bound to be older. On the other hand, any art on top of the muddy constructions would be younger than the nests.

This time bracket gave researchers a way to box in the real date. They tested over 100 nests, and the results put the gallery at 12,000 years. While it’s younger than initially thought, the artwork remains about seven millennia older than the Giza pyramids.^[7]

3 The Powars II Quarry—13,000 Years Old

Located in the Rocky Mountains in Wyoming, the Powars II quarry isn’t a new discovery. Archaeologists briefly documented the site in the 1980s but failed to recognize its importance. But in recent years, another team returned and realized that Powars II was 13,000 years old. This made it the oldest red ochre quarry in the Americas.

The excavation uncovered mining tools, bones, weapons, and beads. This cache contained thousands of items that also flagged Powars II as one of the densest Paleoindian records in existence.

Interestingly, the quarry wasn’t a locals-only enterprise. Some of the artifacts also showed that people traveled from great distances away to pull the precious red pigment from the mountain. Experts believe that ochre found at other archaeological sites across the American mid-continent probably came from this quarry.^[8]

2 The East Kalimantan Grave—31,000 Years Old

In 2020, archaeologists found a skeleton in a Borneo limestone cave. The left foot was missing. Normally, an incomplete skeleton is enough to ruin a researcher’s day since critical information can be lost. However, in this case, the team was delighted.

Around 31,000 years ago, the person had their foot skillfully amputated, and they lived for almost a decade afterward. This was bizarre. The surgeons lived before the advent of agriculture and permanent settlements, two factors hailed by historians as the catalyst for complex medical advancements.

It’s already amazing that the skeleton could be the world’s oldest case of medical amputation. But how did these hunter-gatherers have the knowledge to recognize when to remove a limb for health reasons and the skill to provide pain relief during and after major surgery, avoid the veins and nerves, stem major bleeding, and prevent post-operative infection?^[9]

1 Messak Settafet—Prehistory

In 2011, researchers visited the Sahara desert to have another look at the Messak Settafet escarpment. Measuring 217 miles (350 kilometers) long and running, on average, 37 miles (60 kilometers) wide, the sandstone outcrop is not entirely natural.

The site contains ancient stone artifacts, but that’s not the surprising bit. The quality of the rock would’ve been a magnet for prehistoric toolmakers. What’s noteworthy, however, is the number of abandoned tools at Messak Settafet. The 2011 team discovered an average of 75 million artifacts per 0.38 square mile (1 square kilometer).

This carpet of tools is the result of hundreds of thousands of years of humans and earlier hominids carving pieces from the escarpment for weapons and tools, abandoning some along the way, and also making Messak Settafet the oldest human-made landscape on Earth.^[10]