The Best Archaeological Sites & Ruins in the Middle East

Egypt

Eleven entries. The pyramids of Giza, Saqqara and Dahshur lie along the desert edge south-west of Cairo. Along the Nile further south are Abydos, Dendera, Karnak and the Temple of Hatshepsut at Luxor, Esna, Edfu, Philae at Aswan and Abu Simbel near the Sudanese border.

Turkey

Nineteen entries, more than any other country. Ephesus, Priene, Didyma, Aphrodisias, Sardis and Hierapolis above the Pamukkale terraces are in the west; Perge, Aspendos, Termessos, Phaselis and Olympos are around Antalya; Patara, Tlos and Antiphellos are on the Lycian coast. Sagalassos, Kibyra and Aizanoi lie inland, Mount Nemrut and Ani in the east.

Jordan, Lebanon, Israel and Iran

Petra is second on the list; Jerash and Umm Qais are Roman cities in the north of Jordan. Baalbek in the Beqaa Valley has the temples of Jupiter and Bacchus. Masada stands above the Dead Sea, Beit She’an in the Jordan Valley. In Iran the list has Persepolis, the royal tombs of Naqsh-e Rostam nearby, Takht-e Soleyman and the water works of Shushtar.