Archaeological excavations in Afghanistan are not possible, but American and Afghan researchers can now study thousands of previously uncataloged ancient cities and structures that have been discovered using a US spy satellite and analysis of military images obtained from drones.
Among the archaeological finds are 119 caravanserais of the late 16th and early 17th centuries, huge complexes designed to accommodate travelers and built from the early centuries BC to the 19th century, as well as a network of ancient canals invisible from the ground.
Researchers say they have tripled the number of discovered archaeological features in Afghanistan to more than 4,500, and they are convinced there are still many undiscovered ancient sites in the country.
For more than a millennium, these ancient sites have served as a crucial crossroads linking East and West. According to Emily Boak, UChicago heritage analyst, the caravans brought in vast quantities of silk, gems, spices and woods from India as well as china from China.
Afghanistan is an archaeological treasure filled with items and objects that can help fill the missing gaps in our history books.
The use of American unmanned aerial vehicles in the Middle East for scientific conservation offers scientists the opportunity to catalog ancient objects that might never have been discovered.