A rock of ages gets some well-deserved recognition. UNESCO has named Phu Phrabat historical park in northeastern Thailand and its unusual rock formations as Thailand’s eighth World Heritage Site and its fifth Cultural Heritage Site.

Thailand celebrated the honor with a gathering of government and United Nations officials, Buddhist monks, traditional artists and the people of Udon Thani province where Phu Phrabat is located. They held a grand celebration marking the installation of the World Heritage emblem. Phu Phrabat is the second World Heritage Site in Udon Thani province, with the Ban Chiang ancient archeological the first.

The designation by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) tied Thailand with Vietnam for the country with the second-most World Heritage Sites in Southeast Asia at eight each. Indonesia, a vastly larger country, has the most with 10.

“Registering Phu Phrabat Historical Park as a World Heritage site is a source of pride for Thailand and its people," said Sasikarn Watthanachan, Deputy Spokeswoman for the Prime Minister's Office. “It reflects the value and significance of Thai cultural heritage on an international level.”

The surreal and distinctive rock formations in the park were modified and used as religious shrines by people of various civilizations across thousands of years, including during the Dvaravati, Khmer, Lan Xang, and Rattanakosin eras.

Archeologists have estimated that humans and their civilizations inhabited the area as long as 3,000 years ago. More than 54 ancient rock paintings have been found on one mountain in the park.

Within the park, there are 78 registered archaeological sites, reflecting the deep historical value and cultural connections in northeastern Thailand.

Northeastern Thailand has even older archeological sites where many remains of dinosaurs have been found and other are still being excavated.