Archaeologists have discovered the remains of two medieval cities in Uzbekistan’s southeastern mountains, perched above the ancient Silk Road trade route.
The discovery, achieved using drone-based lidar technology, reveals previously unknown details about high-altitude urban life in Central Asia, National Geographic reported.
The research team, led by National Geographic Explorer Michael Frachetti and Farhod Maksudov, director of Uzbekistan’s National Center of Archaeology, located the cities of Tugunbulak and Tashbulak at altitudes reaching 7,200 feet. Tugunbulak, the larger site, spans nearly 300 acres, making it one of the largest known settlements in the region from this period, according to a study published in Nature.
“Lidar showed us that there’s a massive city there, hiding in plain sight,” said Frachetti, associate professor of anthropology at Washington University, St Louis. The high-resolution images reveal extensive city walls, fortifications, watchtowers, and a central fortress with thick stone and mud-brick walls.
About three miles away, the smaller, densely built city of Tashbulak features multiple permanent structures and an intricate layout designed to adapt to the steep mountain terrain.
The use of lidar, which relies on light reflection to create detailed 3D maps, has made it possible for archaeologists to document such sites, long believed too remote for substantial ancient urban centres.
The two cities thrived between the 6th and 11th centuries, with Tugunbulak’s location suggesting it may have functioned as a key production hub for iron tools and weapons, powered by the region’s strong winds.
The discovery is reshaping ideas of medieval life along the silk road, showing that ancient highland societies not only survived in challenging climates but developed sophisticated urban designs and trade routes that connected East and West.
