Buzz
People have a tendency to view the past through a lens of grandeur, believing that the ancients knew things we've since forgotten. This notion is further supported by the discovery of ancient cities that were once unknown. In today's world, where the internet holds vast amounts of information at our fingertips, the idea of a city being lost seems almost impossible. Yet, cities have always been abandoned for various reasons, and without anyone living there, they can disappear from history for centuries until someone eventually rediscovers them. This list explores cities that were left behind, forgotten (with only a few locals perhaps remembering them), and later brought back to the light of day.
10. Pavlopetri Greece
When we think of 'lost cities,' Atlantis is the first to come to mind. While there is no solid proof that Atlantis ever existed outside of Plato's allegorical tale, many cities have met a fate similar to the myth, being claimed by the sea. Pavlopetri, a town from pre-Classical Greece, was inhabited since the Stone Age and lasted until approximately 1000 BC. The fact that this site was submerged offers archaeologists a rare glimpse into the past. While other ancient locations have been destroyed, repurposed, or covered over by construction, Pavlopetri remains undisturbed. It's believed that the town was submerged due to rising sea levels and ground subsidence caused by earthquakes. As sea levels have fluctuated over time, it's very possible that other such cities lie beneath the world's oceans, waiting to be uncovered.
9. Cliff Palace Colorado
The Pueblo people, Native Americans from the southwestern United States, are named after the villages (Pueblos) they built. While vibrant Pueblo communities still exist today, the Anasazi, an ancient Pueblo civilization, thrived between 900 and 1200 AD. The ‘Cliff Palace’ was built during this golden period of the Anasazi, with dendrochronology dating most of the structures to around 1200 AD. The site was only inhabited for a short time and was abandoned by 1300 AD. It remained hidden in the desert until 1888, when Richard Wetherill, Charles Mason, and an Ute tribesman named Acowitz discovered it while searching for stray cattle. Their accidental find turned out to be the largest cliff dwelling in North America. Despite the name ‘Cliff Palace,’ the site is more akin to a village than a palace. While the cause of its abandonment remains unclear, the most widely accepted theory is that the onset of a major drought, which is believed to have contributed to the collapse of the Anasazi civilization, disrupted agriculture across the region.
8. Akrotiri Santorini
The Minoan civilization of Crete is named after the legendary King Minos, who is said to have built the labyrinth. There is little written record from the Minoans, so we can only speculate on what they called themselves. The civilization faded into obscurity until the early 20th century. The discovery of the grand palace at Knossos brought the lost Minoans back into the light. Instead of focusing solely on the well-known Knossos, this list highlights Akrotiri, a Minoan outpost located on the island of Santorini. Santorini, also known as Thera, is home to the massive Thera volcano. It is now believed that the eruption of Thera around 1600 BC, one of the largest eruptions in recorded history, led to the fall of the Minoan empire. The 1967 discovery of Akrotiri revealed remarkably well-preserved frescoes, homes up to three stories high, and a carefully planned settlement. Evidence of a sophisticated water supply system suggests that the people of Akrotiri had access to both hot and cold running water, with the hot water coming from the very volcano that would eventually destroy them.
7. Tikal Guatemala
The Mayan city of Tikal once served as the capital of a powerful Mayan kingdom and was a major city in the New World. The site was inhabited from approximately 200 to 900 AD. Due to the excellent preservation of the city, much is known about the splendor of Tikal at its peak and the influential rulers who governed there. While Tikal, like many other New World ruins, has been described as ‘mysteriously’ abandoned, research suggests that the land could no longer sustain the large population living there. The city was gradually abandoned over time and eventually overtaken by the jungle. However, it seems that locals were still aware of the city’s existence, as rumors of a lost city in the region persisted. The first organized expedition to the site was in 1848, where they uncovered one of the largest surviving archaeological sites in the New World. The city features pyramids as tall as 70 meters, royal palaces, monumental stelae, and a ball court for the Mayan ball game.
6. Timgad Algeria
Timgad, or Colonia Marciana Ulpia Traiana Thamugadi for those versed in Latin, represents the quintessential lost city found in adventure tales. Originally established as a flourishing city in the desert under Emperor Trajan's orders, Timgad survived the turmoil of the empire and evolved into a major trading hub. After suffering a sacking in the 5th century, it was reborn as a center for Christian life. However, a second attack by the Vandals in the 7th century led to its complete abandonment. From that moment, the shifting sands of the Sahara engulfed and preserved the ruins until their rediscovery in 1881. Today, Timgad offers a remarkable glimpse into the Roman cities of North Africa, with its streets laid out in a precise grid, as expected from a city built to exact specifications. Notable ruins include the arch of Trajan, the baths, and the impressive temple of Jupiter, which rivals the size of the Pantheon in Rome, highlighting the city's significance. A graffito found in the forum reads, 'To hunt, bathe, play games and laugh. This is life!'
5. Machu Picchu Peru
No list of lost cities would be complete without Machu Picchu. This ancient Inca city perched high in the Andes was inhabited for only a brief period, likely from 1450 to 1572 AD, before being abandoned following the Spanish conquest of South America. Since the Spaniards never discovered the city and the locals kept its location secret, Machu Picchu remained unknown to the outside world until the early 20th century. There is still ongoing debate as to whether the site served as a regular settlement, a royal retreat, or a sacred religious sanctuary. Reaching Machu Picchu is now relatively easy, with regular buses and trains providing access. This convenience has raised concerns about the sustainability of the growing number of visitors, but the breathtaking views and well-preserved ruins make it easy to understand why so many flock to this remarkable site.
4. Mohenjo-daro Pakistan
Alongside the Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilizations, the Indus Valley civilization is regarded as one of the earliest to have ever existed. Reaching its zenith around 2000 BC, though much older, the Indus Valley made tremendous strides in science, writing, trade, crafts, religion, and agriculture. The remarkable organization of Mohenjo-daro is a testament to the sophistication of this society, with its carefully planned streets and advanced drainage system. Unlike other well-known ancient sites, there is no grand palace or temple complex in Mohenjo-daro. This absence has led some scholars to suggest the Indus Valley may have had an egalitarian society, although the lack of detailed knowledge about the people who lived there makes such claims speculative. Flooding from the Indus River appears to have ravaged the city at least six times, with successive cities being built atop the ruins of the previous ones. The reason for its final abandonment remains unclear, but it happened around 1800 BC, and Mohenjo-daro was not rediscovered until 1922.
3. Pompeii and Herculaneum Italy
“There were some so afraid of death that they prayed to die.” So wrote Pliny the Younger about the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. His uncle, the famous elder Pliny, had led the Roman fleet across the bay of Naples in an attempt to rescue those trapped at the foot of the volcano. This mission would ultimately cost the elder Pliny his life, as both Pompeii and Herculaneum were buried under a blanket of ash. This same ash, which ended so many lives, also preserved the cities for nearly 1700 years. While we often imagine the ancient Romans living in a perfect world of pristine marble, Pompeii offers a more grounded view of everyday life, complete with political graffiti, such as “Vote for Lucius Popidius Sabinus!” Even more irreverent messages can be found in public toilets. One mural depicts a riot that broke out near the city's amphitheater. Pompeii has become a goldmine for archaeologists and a top tourist destination. Unlike other lost cities, you can still encounter some of the residents—ghostly, and in some cases, ghastly plaster casts of their bodies, preserved in the ash, remain scattered throughout the ruins.
Honourable mentions- L’anse aux meadows, Mycenae, Xanadu, Vijayanagara, Angkor.
2. Troy Turkey
“Sing, O Muse, the anger of Achilles son of Peleus…” These famous lines open the Iliad by Homer, a foundational text of Western literature. For centuries, Troy was thought to be as mythical as Atlantis. Then, in 1871, a self-taught archaeologist named Heinrich Schliemann financed an excavation at a mound in Hissarlik, the site of ancient Ilium (the city from the Iliad). There, he uncovered massive defensive walls that matched Homer’s descriptions. Along with these walls, Schliemann discovered golden jewelry, which he proclaimed to be the jewels of Helen. This treasure was believed lost after World War II but was later found to have been looted by the Soviets and is now housed in the Pushkin Museum. Modern excavations have revealed Troy to be far larger than originally thought—large enough to give credibility to the ancient legends. The city was founded around 3000 BC and destroyed several times. New cities were built on top of the previous ones, with ongoing debates about which layer corresponds to the city described in the Iliad. Interestingly, the massive walls of Troy would have been much stronger than the siege weapons available to the Greeks at the time, meaning any siege would have taken a long time—just as Homer’s Iliad suggests, which may explain the need for the ruse of the Trojan Horse.
1. Petra Jordan
The inclusion of Petra on this list might spark some debate, as one could argue whether it was truly ‘lost.’ While it was abandoned, it was likely still known to locals. However, it had vanished from Western knowledge for at least a thousand years. Pliny the Elder, the ancient precursor to Mytour, referenced Petra, and it came under Roman rule in 103 AD. The city, nestled in the desert, thrived until an earthquake ravaged its crucial water system. With other cities readily accessible, it likely became more practical to abandon Petra rather than rebuild it. From that point, the city was reclaimed by the desert, drawing the attention of only the occasional traveler or grave robber. Today, Petra is one of the Middle East's most remarkable archaeological sites. The city is a stunning blend of Roman, Greek, and Nabataean architectural styles, with structures that are partially built and partially carved directly into the region’s red rock hills. Any brief description can hardly do justice to the grandeur of this lost city.
