Lidar Unveils Hidden Medieval Cities Along Silk Road

Advanced drone technology has uncovered two large settlements in Uzbekistan, revealing their strategic roles in Silk Road trade and metallurgy.

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.