Lost Silk Road Cities Discovered in Uzbekistan's Mountains

Archaeologists uncover medieval high-altitude urban centers using drone technology, challenging previous assumptions about Silk Road trade routes.

The cities of Tugunbulak and Tashbulak, found in Uzbekistan's Malguzar mountains, reveal significant medieval urban centers previously unknown to historians.
Using LiDAR technology, researchers mapped these cities, uncovering fortifications, marketplaces, and residential areas at altitudes over 2,000 meters.
The findings suggest these high-altitude cities played a crucial role in Silk Road trade, contradicting the belief that trade routes avoided mountainous regions.
The cities were likely major hubs for metal production, with evidence of iron smelting and trade in surrounding natural resources like juniper forests.
The research, published in Nature, marks a groundbreaking use of drone-based LiDAR in Central Asia, offering new insights into medieval urbanism and trade dynamics.