civilizations
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North Grotto Temple: Why a General Carved 7 Buddhas in 509
In 509 CE, a Northern Wei general founded North Grotto Temple after crushing a revolt, carving Cave 165’s seven 8-metre Buddhas. Explore…
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Bazda Caves: How a Quarry Built Harran’s Great Mosque
Worked from the 2nd to the 13th century AD, the Bazda Caves are the underground quarry that built Harran — explore its…
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Amazon Rock Carvings: How the 2023 Drought Exposed Them
Up to 2,000 years old, Amazon rock carvings near Manaus resurfaced when the 2023 drought sank the Rio Negro to its lowest…
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Inside Angel Mounds: Indiana’s Mississippian River City
Built around AD 1100, Angel Mounds was a 1,000-resident Mississippian town on the Ohio River where Glenn Black unearthed 2.5 million artifacts.…
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My Son Sanctuary: Inside Champa’s 1,000-Year Valley
Founded in the 4th century, My Son Sanctuary was Champa’s Shaiva temple capital for nearly 1,000 years — explore its brick towers,…
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Inside the Binxian Great Buddha: Taizong’s 628 Colossus
Founded in 628 CE by Emperor Taizong, the Binxian Great Buddha is a 20-metre Tang Amitabha — explore its Silk Road grottoes,…