UNDERSTANDING ON ANCIENT SETTLEMENTS REDEFINED BY 3000-YEAR-OLD FORTRESS DISCOVERY

During early archeological digs, the 3,000-year-old Georgian mountain castle known as Dmanisis Gora was obscured by dense summer grass, concealing its enormous size. Startling discoveries published in the journal Antiquity have now driven a reevaluation of the variables influencing the population expansion of ancient settlements.

Upon their visit to the site in the fall of 2018, Cranfield University researchers discovered that, beyond the previously identified inner fortress, there were significant remnants of stone buildings and fortifications and an outside and inner fortress wall beneath the fading foliage. The researchers chose to use drones instead of battling on foot because of the site's enormous size, underscoring the significance of contemporary technology in archeological research.

In a statement to Cranfield University, Nathaniel Erb-Satullo, senior lecturer in archeological science at the Cranfield Forensic Institute, stated that this was the reason behind the notion of employing a drone to evaluate the site from the air. "Using sophisticated software, the drone's approximately 11,000 photos were stitched together to create high-resolution digital elevation models and orthophotos—composite images that display every point as though you were looking straight down."

High-resolution aerial imagery was obtained by the research team using a DJI Phantom 4 RTK drone, and its accuracy in mapping man-made features was then meticulously confirmed. They then used Geographic Information System (GIS) software to examine changes in the site's different stone features over time by comparing the drone's orthophotos with 50-year-old photos from a declassified Cold War-era spy satellite.

What the scientists discovered was astounding. The fortress was 40 times larger than first believed, possibly making it the largest of its kind, according to precise maps of the fortification walls, burials, field systems, and other stone constructions.

Dmanisis Gora is not only an important discovery for the South Caucasus, but it also contributes to a larger knowledge of the composition and growth of prehistoric large-scale civilizations. The results call for a reconsideration of social dynamics in the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages, Erb-Satullo said.

What the scientists discovered was astounding. The fortress was 40 times larger than first believed, possibly making it the largest of its kind, according to precise maps of the fortification walls, burials, field systems, and other stone constructions.

It is hypothesised that Dmanisis Gora's connections with nomadic pastoral tribes contributed to its growth and that the size of its extensive outlying settlement may have fluctuated with the seasons. Now that the site has been thoroughly mapped, additional research will begin to shed light on topics including agricultural methods, animal movements, and population density and intensity, among others, according to Erb-Satullo.

The study team has started examining the site since their extraordinary discovery, finding countless artifacts and clues that provide insight into the ancient societies that once called Dmanisis Gora home.