A recent study using drone mapping has revealed that Dmanisis Gora, a 3,000-year-old mountainside fortress in the Caucasus Mountains, is far bigger than previously thought. The discoveries also prompted a reᴀssessment of settlement dynamics during the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages.

Oblique aerial view of outer enclosure from the northwest (figure by N. Erb-Satullo). Credit: N. L. Erb-Satullo et al., Antiquity (2025)

The research, which was recently published in the journal Antiquity, was co-led by Dr. Nathaniel Erb-Satullo, a Senior Lecturer at Cranfield University’s Forensic Insтιтute, and Dimitri Jachvliani of the Georgian National Museum. Their work — which has been ongoing since 2018 — showed that Dmanisis Gora had emerged not just as a centerpiece for archaeological research on the South Caucasus, but a crucial case study for investigating ancient urbanism and population dynamics.

Initial excavations took place near a fortified promontory between two deep gorges. However, the fall visit — when thick summer foliage had receded — revealed remains of fortifications and stone buildings stretching well beyond the known inner fortress, prompting the use of advanced drone technology to create aerial imagery.

“The drone took nearly 11,000 pictures, which were processed using specialized software to produce high-resolution digital elevation models and orthopH๏τos,” Dr. Erb-Satullo explained. “These datasets allowed us to identify subtle topographic features and create precise maps of fortification walls, graves, field systems, and other structures within the outer settlement.”

Map of Dmanisis Gora highlighting archaeological features. Red dotted line indicates extent of UAV pH๏τogrammetry. Background image is a Hexagon satellite image (mission: 1210-3, frame: 58, date: 31 August 1975) (figure by N. Erb-Satullo). Credit: N. L. Erb-Satullo et al., Antiquity (2025)

The drone survey showed that the fort is expansive, with its outer settlement protected by a fortification wall that stretches a kilometer long. This makes Dmanisis Gora more than 40 times the size initially estimated. The researchers merged aerial pH๏τographs with declassified Cold War–era spy satellite images to identify ancient structures from recent modifications attributable to the advent of modern farming.

At the crossroads of Europe, the Eurasian Steppe, and the Middle East, Georgia has been a cultural crossroads since ancient times, and Dmanisi Gora reflects a mosaic of cultures. The mᴀssive size and defensive architecture of the site suggest that it was a major settlement in an era of evolving social and political complexity in the region.

Structures in the outer settlement with 1km long fortification wall visible in upper left. Credit: Nathaniel Erb-Satullo

Researchers speculate that the fortress’s growth was not simply due to the population in the surrounding settlement but also to the influx of mobile pastoralists, suggesting that this network may have led to seasonal growth and population contractions in the outer settlement.

Despite the large investment in stone architecture, the site shows evidence of low-intensity occupation, possibly indicating seasonal use. This supports theories suggesting that pastoral mobility continued to play an important role in Late Bronze and Early Iron Age societies.

Hillshade (top left) and orthopH๏τo (top right) of fortress core, with plan of trench 2 excavations. Credit: N. L. Erb-Satullo et al., Antiquity (2025)

The research at Dmanisis Gora adds to efforts to better understand the aggregation and settlement of populations in ancient Eurasia. It also challenges ᴀssumptions about the impact of the so-called “Bronze Age Collapse” in the region. Although numerous regions of the Near East and Eastern Mediterranean experienced considerable upheaval during this time, the South Caucasus appears to have undergone remarkable continuity in terms of settlement and material culture.

Ongoing studies aim to establish more about the population density, livestock practices, and crop systems at the site. Ongoing excavations have yielded tens of thousands of artifacts, from pottery shards to animal bones, revealing the daily lives of the people who constructed the fortress.

More information: Erb-Satullo, N. L., Jachvliani, D., Higham, R., Weber-Boer, K. O., Symons, A., & Portes, R. (2025). Mega-fortresses in the South Caucasus: new data from southern Georgia. Antiquity, 1–20. doi:10.15184/aqy.2024.197