Archaeological Sites

Major ASI-protected and UNESCO sites across South Asia

Showing 42 of 42 sites

UNESCO World Heritage only

Harappa

Punjab (Pakistan)

Type-site of the Indus Valley Civilization; planned streets, drainage, granaries.

c. 2600–1900 BCEHarappanUrban settlement

Mohenjo-daroUNESCO

Sindh (Pakistan)

Great Bath, citadel, standardized bricks; UNESCO World Heritage.

c. 2500–1900 BCEHarappanUrban settlement

DholaviraUNESCO

Gujarat

Three-part walled city with stone architecture and water reservoirs; UNESCO 2021.

c. 3000–1500 BCEHarappanUrban settlement

Lothal

Gujarat

World's earliest known dockyard; bead workshop and warehouse.

c. 2400–1900 BCEHarappanPort / dockyard

Rakhigarhi

Haryana

Largest Harappan site in India; recent aDNA studies of skeletal remains.

c. 2600–1900 BCEHarappanUrban settlement

Kalibangan

Rajasthan

Earliest evidence of ploughed field; fire altars.

c. 3500–1750 BCEPre-Harappan / HarappanSettlement

Mehrgarh

Balochistan (Pakistan)

One of the earliest Neolithic sites in South Asia.

c. 7000–2500 BCENeolithicEarly farming village

Bhimbetka Rock SheltersUNESCO

Madhya Pradesh

Prehistoric rock paintings spanning multiple periods; UNESCO World Heritage.

c. 30,000 BCE – MedievalPaleolithic–MesolithicRock shelters / rock art

Sanchi StupaUNESCO

Madhya Pradesh

Great Stupa of Sanchi commissioned by Ashoka; carved toranas.

c. 3rd century BCE – 12th CEBuddhist (Mauryan onwards)Stupa complex

Sarnath

Uttar Pradesh

Site of Buddha's first sermon; Ashoka's Lion Capital found here.

c. 3rd century BCE onwardsBuddhistMonastic site

Nalanda MahaviharaUNESCO

Bihar

Ancient monastic university; UNESCO World Heritage.

c. 5th–12th century CEBuddhist (Gupta–Pala)Monastic university

Vikramshila

Bihar

Major Pala-period Buddhist university; cruciform stupa.

c. 8th–12th century CEBuddhist (Pala)Monastic university

Bodh Gaya — Mahabodhi TempleUNESCO

Bihar

Site of Buddha's enlightenment; Mahabodhi Temple complex.

c. 3rd century BCE – presentBuddhistTemple

Ajanta CavesUNESCO

Maharashtra

30 rock-cut caves with painted murals and sculpture.

c. 2nd century BCE – 6th CEBuddhistRock-cut caves

Ellora CavesUNESCO

Maharashtra

34 caves including the monolithic Kailasa Temple.

c. 6th–10th century CEBuddhist, Hindu, JainRock-cut caves

Elephanta CavesUNESCO

Maharashtra

Cave temples to Shiva; famous Trimurti sculpture.

c. 5th–8th century CEHindu (Shaiva)Rock-cut caves

Hampi (Vijayanagara)UNESCO

Karnataka

Ruins of the Vijayanagara capital; temples, bazaars, palaces.

c. 14th–16th century CEVijayanagara EmpireRoyal city

PattadakalUNESCO

Karnataka

Group of Hindu and Jain temples; Dravida and Nagara styles.

c. 7th–8th century CEChalukyaTemple complex

Badami Cave Temples

Karnataka

Early Chalukyan rock-cut temples to Vishnu, Shiva, and Jain tirthankaras.

c. 6th century CEChalukyaRock-cut caves

MahabalipuramUNESCO

Tamil Nadu

Shore Temple, rathas, and Descent of the Ganges relief.

c. 7th–8th century CEPallavaMonuments / shore temple

Brihadeeswarar Temple, ThanjavurUNESCO

Tamil Nadu

Great Living Chola Temple commissioned by Rajaraja I.

c. 11th century CECholaTemple

Konark Sun TempleUNESCO

Odisha

Sun Temple in chariot form; intricate stone carvings.

c. 13th century CEEastern GangaTemple

Khajuraho Group of MonumentsUNESCO

Madhya Pradesh

Hindu and Jain temples famous for sculpture.

c. 10th–12th century CEChandelaTemple complex

Qutb Complex (Delhi)UNESCO

Delhi

Qutb Minar, Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, Iron Pillar.

c. 12th–13th century CEDelhi SultanateMonument complex

Humayun's Tomb (Delhi)UNESCO

Delhi

First garden-tomb in the Indian subcontinent; precursor to Taj Mahal.

c. 1565–72 CEMughalTomb

Red Fort (Delhi)UNESCO

Delhi

Lal Qila — main residence of Mughal emperors for ~200 years.

c. 17th century CEMughal (Shah Jahan)Fort

Fatehpur SikriUNESCO

Uttar Pradesh

Mughal capital under Akbar; Buland Darwaza, Jama Masjid.

c. 16th century CEMughal (Akbar)Royal city

Taj MahalUNESCO

Uttar Pradesh

Marble mausoleum for Mumtaz Mahal; Mughal architectural masterpiece.

c. 1632–53 CEMughal (Shah Jahan)Mausoleum

Agra FortUNESCO

Uttar Pradesh

Walled Mughal city / fort built by Akbar.

c. 16th century CEMughalFort

Hampi — Vitthala Temple

Karnataka

Famous stone chariot and musical pillars.

c. 15th–16th century CEVijayanagaraTemple

Champaner-PavagadhUNESCO

Gujarat

Only complete and unchanged pre-Mughal Islamic city.

c. 8th–16th century CEPre-Mughal SultanateArchaeological park

Chandraketugarh

West Bengal

Famous for terracotta figurines and seals.

c. 4th BCE – 12th CEMaurya–Sunga–PalaSettlement

Sisupalgarh

Odisha

Massive fortified urban center near Bhubaneswar.

c. 5th BCE – 4th CEEarly HistoricFortified city

Hastinapura

Uttar Pradesh

Excavated mounds; Painted Grey Ware horizon.

c. 1100 BCE – MedievalPGW / Mahabharata traditionSettlement mound

Atranjikhera

Uttar Pradesh

Important type-site for Ganga valley ceramic sequence.

c. 2000 BCE – 300 BCEOCP–PGW–NBPW sequenceMulti-period mound

Daimabad

Maharashtra

Bronze chariot and figurines; southernmost Harappan site.

c. 2200–700 BCELate Harappan / JorweSettlement

Inamgaon

Maharashtra

Well-studied Chalcolithic farming village.

c. 1600–700 BCEChalcolithic (Jorwe)Settlement

Adichanallur

Tamil Nadu

Iron Age urn burials with grave goods; Tamil-Brahmi finds.

c. 1000–600 BCEIron Age / MegalithicUrn-burial site

Keeladi

Tamil Nadu

Ongoing excavation; literacy and urbanism in early Tamil culture.

c. 6th century BCE onwardsSangam AgeUrban settlement

Arikamedu

Puducherry

Roman amphorae and rouletted ware; Indo-Roman trade evidence.

c. 2nd BCE – 8th CEIndo-Roman tradePort

Sanghol

Punjab

Kushan-period stupa railings with Mathura-style sculpture.

c. 2nd BCE – 6th CEKushanSettlement / stupa

TaxilaUNESCO

Punjab (Pakistan)

Ancient Gandharan city — Bhir, Sirkap, Sirsukh; major learning center.

c. 6th BCE – 5th CEGandharaUrban / monastic