Explore Ancient Anatolia

On Nov. 16, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) celebrates the 40th anniversary of the World Heritage Convention, an international treaty that set out to preserve important cultural and natural sites.

Fresco art, Christ Pantocrator inside hidden cave church of Cappadocia, Göreme Open Air Museum, UNESCO World Heritage Site in Turkey. The iconic image of Christ Pantocrator was one of the first images of Christ developed in the Early Christian Church and remains a central icon of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Typical Lycian tomb at UNESCO World Heritage Site of Xanthos-Letoon, in Turkey. Photo scanned, 35 mm. color film and Canon FTb SLR camera. Xanthos was the name of a city in ancient Lycia, and of the river on which the city is situated. The Hittite and Luwian name of the city is given as Arinna like Lycian origin. Xanthos was a center of culture and commerce for the Lycians.