UNESCO adds five World Heritage sites. At a July 15 committee meeting, UNESCO announced the addition of five World Heritage sites. New additions include medieval graveyards, Grecian archaeological sites, stone monuments in Spain, archaeological sites in Turkey and a cave complex in the United Kingdom.

Medieval tombstone graveyards, referred to as stećci, are spread all across Europe, in Bosnia, Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia. The cemeteries date back to the 12^th century and reflect medieval customs, with decorative motifs and inscriptions. The UNESCO World Heritage site inscription encompasses 30 such sites.

The archaeological site of Philippi, in Greece, includes the remains of a walled city in what is now Eastern Macedonia and Thrace. It was located along an ancient route connecting Europe and Asia, founded in 356 B.C. The city later became a center of the Christian faith in the year 50 and its remains are a testament to early Christianity.

In Spain, near Málaga, three large rock monuments stand since their inception in the Neolithic and Bronze ages. The monuments are called one of the most important examples of European megaliths, and have been referred to as Spain’s own Stonehenge.

In northeast Turkey, the archaeological site of Ani looks over the Armenian border. The forgotten medieval city still shows remnants of residential, religious and military structures characteristic of Christian and Muslim inhabitants. The city prospered as late as the 14^th century, when Mongolian invasions and natural disasters halted the city’s progress.

The last addition to the new UNESCO World Heritage sites is Gorham’s Cave Complex, four caves located in the limestone cliffs on the east side of the Rock of Gibraltar. The caves contain evidence of Neanderthal occupation and are an important site for scientific research regarding human evolution.