#I'm not going with big magic bubbles and invisibilty spells type magic

[kiragecko]

Okay, so I'm designing a bunch of hidden magical cities. It needs to be at least slightly believable that they haven't been discovered in a world with satellite photography and high population density. I have ideas for most of them, but am struggling with a few. Anyone want to offer suggestions?

 (They are, of course, based on 10th C civilizations.)

 Strong Ideas:

Eriu/Irish - A Crannog! Crannogs were manmade islands, sometimes connected to the mainland with a causeway. They were built for defense, out of reeds, mud, and anything available. Buildings and walls are stone or wood. I'm thinking these guys made a hollow one and are living inside it, with the causeway acting as a tunnel.

Gurjaraka/Indian - Cliffside village in mountains. Earthquake(?) broke open the land they were on, leaving them in a hidden ravine. Buildings are stone.

Nihonzin/Japanese - Caves in the Izu Islands or some similar location. Small and remote enough that no one really visits, but close enough to the main islands for earlier cultural connection to be realistic. Wooden buildings.

Nehirawak/Cree - Not hidden, but they're in northern Manitoba so it doesn't matter. Nomadic, travelling on rivers and lakes other than the major ones. Haven't chosen between birchbark or skin for buildings.

 Okay Ideas:

Kamvuja/Khmer - Buildings swallowed by trees. Major stone buildings are surrounded by tree roots of trees that have grown over them. Smaller building constructed partially FROM the trees? I have not decided if this is awesome or unrealistic, but images of Angkorian ruins give me IDEAS.

Maya - Cenote and connected cave system. Strong visual, but I'm worried about the religious aspect. Maya still worship at cenotes (sinkholes that fill with water), since they serve as doorways to the afterworld. No amount of - twilit stone buildings partially obscured by hanging vines and spotlit by a beam of light from the surface - is worth it, if I can't figure out if the setting is respectful. (Talking to people is SO HARD)

Filastiniyyun/Arab - Petra-esque carved-from-mountains location, but Jerusalem/Classical Islamic design? The Nabateans were Arab, so there is a connection, and Palestine is densely populated enough that I'm not sure what else could work. I would like an idea more connected to the time period, though. Even if cities carved from rock are THE BEST.

No Ideas:

Ava/Guarani - There are still groups of Guarani with no contact. I don't need to make up anything. Which ups the pressure to do it RIGHT.

Cholungo(?)/Moche - Semi-coastal Northern Peru. High stone walls surrounding neighbourhoods. Stone buildings. Usually built in river valleys. Trade with mountain neighbours and by sea.

Zanji/Waswahili - Coastal E. Africa, including islands. Buidings were a mix of coral stone and wood. A lot of ocean trade, so a harbour would be valuable.