An academic has utilized drone mapping technology to explore a 3000-year-old ‘mega fortress’ located in the Caucasus mountains. This research has prompted a re-evaluation of the historical significance of the site and its role in the understanding of ancient urbanism and settlement patterns globally.
Dr. Nathaniel Erb-Satullo, a Senior Lecturer in Architectural Science at Cranfield Forensic Institute in the UK, has been studying this ancient site, known as Dmanisis Gora, along with his colleagues, including Dimitri Jachvliani from the Georgian National Museum, since 2018. Their work has revealed new aspects of the fortress that fundamentally alter the perception of its historical context and impact the broader understanding of ancient urban development.
The settlements in the South Caucasus region emerged between 1500 and 500 BCE, marking a significant milestone in the prehistoric era of these areas. Located where Europe meets the Eurasian Steppe and the Middle East, the Caucasus has a rich history as a cultural interchange with distinct local cultures.
The initial phase of research on Dmanisis Gora involved test excavations on a fortified high ground positioned between two steep gorges. During a follow-up visit in autumn, after the summer vegetation had receded, it became clear that the site extended much further than previously believed. Numerous remnants of additional defensive walls and other stone constructions were spread over a vast area outside the inner fortress. A ground-level view alone couldn’t fully convey the enormity of the site.
“That’s when we realized the value of using a drone to capture the site from above,” Dr. Erb-Satullo explained. “The drone captured around 11,000 photographs, which we then pieced together with advanced software to create high-resolution digital elevation models and orthophotos—images that represent every point as though viewed directly from above.”
“These data sets allowed us to pinpoint subtle landscape features and develop precise maps of all the fortification walls, burial sites, field systems, and other stone constructions within the larger settlement area. Our findings indicated that the fortress complex was over 40 times larger than we had initially estimated, with a substantial outer settlement protected by a 1 km long defensive wall.”
The team employed a DJI Phantom 4 RTK drone, capable of offering relative positional accuracy of under 2 cm alongside exceptionally high-resolution aerial photographs. They meticulously examined each feature in the aerial images to ensure accurate identification of human-made structures.
To analyze the landscape’s historical changes, the orthophotos were compared to 50-year-old images from a Cold War-era spy satellite, which were declassified in 2013. This comparison provided invaluable insights regarding the age of various features and the impact of modern agriculture on the ancient site. The collected data was integrated using Geographic Information System (GIS) software, allowing researchers to recognize patterns and alterations in the landscape.
“Using drones has enabled us to grasp the importance of the site and document it in ways that would be impossible from the ground,” commented Dr. Erb-Satullo. “Dmanisis Gora is not only a remarkable discovery for the Southern Caucasus but also plays a crucial role in understanding the diversity of large-scale settlements and their development processes. We propose that Dmanisis Gora’s growth was influenced by interactions with nomadic pastoral groups, and its expansive outer settlement likely fluctuated with the seasons. Now that we have a detailed map of the site, future studies can offer insights into aspects such as population dynamics, livestock movements, and farming practices.”
This research is expected to enhance the understanding of Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age societies and their operational frameworks. Following the completion of the aerial survey, Dr. Erb-Satullo has continued excavating at the site, uncovering thousands of pottery shards, animal bones, and other artifacts that shed light on the civilization that constructed this fortress.
The research has been supported by the Gerda Henkel Foundation, the Gerald Averay Wainwright Fund, and the British Institute at Ankara.
