5 Ancient Places Mysteriously Abandoned To The Desert

The dry, arid sandscapes of planet Earth can preserve structures and artifacts far more effectively than humid environments. The Minaret of Jam exemplifies this. Rooted in Arabic tradition, the term ’minaret’ describes a tower designed to beckon the faithful to prayer. Standing defiant against the elements, the Minaret of Jam pierces the skyline, rising 214 feet above the Shahrak District in the rugged and hard-to-reach Province of Ghor, Afghanistan, where the Jam and Hari rivers meet. Built out of baked bricks and clad in glazed tiles, the Minaret of Jam features some of the most intricate and impressive engravings of its time. An octagonal platform forms the base, supporting the round tower that rises above. The Minaret also boasts two wooden balconies and once held a lantern at its peak. Amongst the many carvings on its surface are passages from the Quran, as well as other forms of ancient Arabic and Islamic calligraphy. Historians believe that Sultan Ghiyath al-Din of t