Lidar Unveils Hidden Medieval Cities Along Silk Road

Overview

• The cities of Tugunbulak and Tashbulak, located at high altitudes in the Tien Shan mountains, were major centers of commerce and iron production.
• Tugunbulak, the larger city, spans 120 hectares and features over 300 structures, including fortresses and plazas, suggesting a significant urban settlement.
• The use of LiDAR technology allowed researchers to map these sites in unprecedented detail, a task that would have taken a decade using traditional methods.
• These findings challenge previous assumptions that the Silk Road trade routes avoided mountainous regions, highlighting their importance in medieval commerce.
• The research underscores the potential of LiDAR in archaeology, providing high-resolution images that reveal extensive urban layouts hidden beneath rugged terrains.