Spectators from all four corners have gone to marvel at Egypt's pyramids of Giza or hug a pillar at Greece's Parthenon, and for the more archaeologically aware, make the pilgrimage to Cambodia's Angkor Wat. But what about the well-preserved Roman ruins left over in Morocco or rock-hewn churches in Ethiopia supposedly created by divine intervention?
GORP's adventurous spirit decided to deviate from the archaeological road well traveled and set our sights on some lesser known treasures intriguing enough for us to dig in and get our hands dirty.
Shibam, Yemen
In the rich desert light of Yemen, imagine a silhouetted Manhattan skyline against the barren dunes. Clustered amongst sultan palaces, whitewashed mosques, and rock palaces in the Wadi Hadramout Valley is Shibam, known as the “Manhattan of the desert.” Shibam is a tight cluster of about 500 desert skyscrapers, seven to 12 stories high, crammed into an area of about 1/4 square mile. Its biggest mosque was built in the 8th century, and the city became the governor's residence in the 13th century AD. UNESCO declared Shibam a world monument in 1982.
Lalibela, Ethiopia
Talk about divine stonemasonry. According to legend, 12th century King Lalibela established the 13 amazing rock-hewn churches after God came to him in a dream and instructed him to build them. And just as God created the universe in six days, these churches were miraculously carved directly out of the bedrock of Ethiopia's highlands within a century—some believe the helping hands of angels are the reason for its swift construction. Within its narrow passageways and tunnels that connect all the churches, priests over the centuries have been and continue to be the mortal guardian angels over the churches' relics of ornamented crosses, bibles, and illustrated manuscripts.
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