Hidden beneath the grassy plains of Uzbekistan’s southeastern mountains, two ancient cities have been unearthed by archaeologists, offering a glimpse into a lost civilization that thrived in a seemingly inhospitable environment, CNN reports.
Using cutting-edge drone technology, researchers have mapped these enigmatic settlements, revealing a complex and intriguing past.
The two cities, Tashbulak and the larger Tugunbulak, are located at a dizzying altitude of over 2,000 meters (6,562 feet), and feature intricate networks of watchtowers, fortresses, buildings, plazas, and pathways. It is estimated that tens of thousands of people once called these ancient strongholds home.
The discovery, led by anthropologist Michael Frachetti, who used drone-borne LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) to penetrate the dense vegetation, has been described as “surprising” given the harshness of life at such high altitudes.
The existence of these cities, comparable in size and complexity to Machu Picchu, challenges the traditional view of high-altitude settlements as anomalies.
The team, which includes Uzbek researcher Farhod Maksudov, is now launching preliminary excavations to unravel the mysteries of these lost cities. While their exact purpose remains unclear, the scale of the settlements suggests more than just simple trading posts or Silk Road stopovers. Researchers theorize that the cities were likely established to exploit the region’s abundant iron ore, a resource that would have been essential in a time of metalworking advancements.
The mountainous terrain, while challenging for agriculture, would have offered both strategic defense and the ability to sustain large grazing herds, supporting a pastoral lifestyle.
The study, published in the journal Nature, is the first to use LiDAR technology in this region. This innovative approach, which has revolutionized archaeological discovery in areas like the Amazon rainforest and Central America, allowed the team to create detailed 3D maps of the ancient cities.
Tugunbulak, the larger of the two, covers an area of some 120 hectares and contains over 300 distinct structures, ranging from small houses to massive complexes.
