The Emergence of Modern Human Behaviour: The Pleistocene Occupation Sites of South Africa

This serial property contributes to the understanding of the origin of behaviourally modern humans, their cognitive abilities and cultures, and the climatic transitions that they survived. 

It is composed of three dispersed archaeological sites, Diepkloof Rock Shelter, Pinnacle Point Site Complex, and Sibhudu Cave, located in the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces of South Africa. 

These sites provide the most varied and best-preserved record known of the development of modern human behaviour, reaching back as far as 162,000 years. 

Symbolic thought and advanced technologies are exemplified by evidence of ochre processing, engraved patterns, decorative beads, decorated eggshells, advanced projectile weapons and techniques for toolmaking, and microliths.

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Metropolitan de Santiago

The Metropolitan Region of Santiago (Región Metropolitana de Santiago) is one of the 16 administrative regions of Chile, with Santiago de Chile as its capital. 

Located in the central valley, between the Andes and the coastal mountains, the region has a population of approximately 7 million (40% of Chile's total). 

Founded in 1541 by Pedro de Valdivia, it is the economic, political and cultural centre of Chile, with modern districts such as Providencia and Las Condes and the tallest skyscraper in South America, the Gran Torre Santiago. 

The region comprises six provinces (Santiago, Chacabuco, Cordillera, Maipo, Melipilla, Talagante) and has a Mediterranean climate with dry, hot summers (up to 35°C) and mild, wet winters. 

The metro system, one of the largest in Latin America, and vineyards such as Concha y Toro are notable features.

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The Cultural Landscape of Al-Faw Archaeological Area - Saudi Arabia

Lying at a strategic point of the ancient trade routes of the Arabian Peninsula, the property was abruptly abandoned around the 5th century CE. 

Nearly 12,000 archaeological remains have been found, spanning from prehistoric times to the Late pre-Islamic era, testifying to the successive occupation of three different populations and their adaptation to the evolving environmental conditions. 

Archaeological features include the Palaeolithic and Neolithic tools of early people, tapered structures, cairns and circular constructions, the sacred mountain of Khashm Qaryah, rock carvings, funerary tumuli and cairns in the valley, forts/caravanserai, the oasis and its ancient water management system, and the vestiges of the city of Qaryat al-Faw.

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Sokoke

The Sokoke, also known as the African Shorthair, is a rare cat breed from the Arabuko Sokoke Forest in Kenya. 

The breed is characterized by a unique, tabby-like coat with little undercoat, an athletic and elegant body, and a life expectancy of 9-15 years. 

Sokokes are intelligent, social, affectionate and have a dog-like personality, making them good with children and other pets. 

They are active, love to hunt and climb and are even good swimmers. 

Grooming is minimal due to their short, thin coat, but dental and ear hygiene are important to prevent health problems.

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The Archaeological Heritage of Niah National Park’s Caves Complex - Malaysia

This complex of colossal, interconnected caverns is located near the west coast of Borneo Island at the centre of Niah National Park. 

It contains the longest known records of human interaction with rainforest, spanning at least 50,000 years, from the Pleistocene to the Mid-Holocene periods. 

The rich archaeological deposits, prehistoric rock paintings and boat-shaped burials found at the northern edge of the massif illustrate biological and human life during this time, and contribute greatly to the knowledge of human development, adaptation and migration in southeast Asia, as well as in a global context. 

Local communities still observe an ancient tradition of molong – ‘take only what you need’— when harvesting guano and valuable edible bird’s nests from the caves.

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Alcazaba de Almeria

The Alcazaba de Almería is a Moorish hilltop fortress in Almería, Spain, and the second largest Islamic fortress in Spain after the Alhambra. 

Built from 955 under Caliph Abd al-Rahman III and expanded in the 11th century, it served as a defense for the city of Pechina and later as a seat of government. 

The complex has three walled parts: two Islamic ones with gardens, palaces, a mosque and baths and a Christian castle from the 15th century after the reconquest in 1489. 

The Muro de la Vela separates the first two parts, with a clock from 1763. 

With an area of ​​43,500 m², it offers impressive views over the city and harbor. 

It is a National Monument (1931) and Bien de Interés Cultural (1985).

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Te Henua Enata – The Marquesas Islands, France

Located in the South Pacific Ocean, this mixed serial property bears an exceptional testimony to the territorial occupation of the Marquesas archipelago by a human civilisation that arrived by sea around the year 1000 CE and developed on these isolated islands between the 10th and the 19th centuries. 

It is also a hotspot of biodiversity that combines irreplaceable and exceptionally well conserved marine and terrestrial ecosystems. 

Marked by sharp ridges, impressive peaks and cliffs rising abruptly above the ocean, the landscapes of the archipelago are unparalleled in these tropical latitudes. 

The archipelago is a major centre of endemism, home to rare and diverse flora, a diversity of emblematic marine species, and one of the most diverse seabird assemblages in the South Pacific. 

Virtually free from human exploitation, Marquesan waters are among the world’s last marine wilderness areas. 

The property also includes archaeological sites ranging from monumental dry-stone structures to lithic sculptures and engravings.

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