The Silk Road was one of the most recognized trade routes throughout history. Established in 138 B.C.E. with the Han dynasty in China opening trade with the West, the Silk Road routes remained in use until 1453 C.E., allowing for cultural and commercial exchange between the East and West.
For years, researchers believed that trade between Asia and the West only passed through lowlands and flat areas. However, in 2015, archaeologist Michael Frachetti had a chance encounter in Uzbekistan with a forestry official who would guide him to a site that would overturn the long-established theory. Informed of the presence of ceramics in the official’s backyard, Frachetti and his team eventually stumbled upon Tugunbulak, an enormous fortified city of a medieval empire. The research team would spend nearly a decade mapping out the site and Tashbulak, the settlement the team had initially arrived in Uzbekistan to explore. Both 2,000 m above sea level, the medieval cities are unusual examples of thriving mountain urbanism.
For this investigation, the archaeologists worked with drones fitted with UAV LiDAR technology, which employs light to detect terrain details from the air. This tool helps analyze areas where vegetation often hinders the detection of archaeological remains. With LiDAR, the researchers could create detailed 3D maps that allowed them to identify changes in the landscape and thus reconstruct images of Tugunbulak and Tashbulak. The data provided evidence of dense groupings of buildings, courtyards, and defensive structures, with designs that took advantage of the natural terrain for defense.
This discovery shows that these mountain settlements were urban centers in regional trade and politics. Adapted to their environment, they were not just passing points but connected cultures and economies in the past.