This ancient Buddhist city, Mes Aynak, was carved out of immense peaks near Kabul in Afghanistan
Believed to be between 1,000 and 2,000 years old, it was once a vast city organised around the extraction and trade of copper.
Mes Aynak, in the Logar province, has been compared to Pompeii and Machu Picchu in size and significance. But, it is in danger of disappearing.
A Chinese consortium has been looking to exploit one of the world’s largest copper deposits.
This has worried archaeologists, who over the years have unearthed Buddhist monasteries, stupas, fortresses, buildings statues, frescoes, ceramics, and more.
They fear mining operations would destroy all remaining gems waiting to be discovered
