Satellite and ground scanning technology are literally opening new windows into our understanding of the history of this planet. After the megastructures discovered in the Amazon rainforest (not only the "environmental capital" of the planet, but also an incredible cultural treasure chest), and it's already time for other big news.
La recent discovery of a massive network of Bronze Age megastructures, hidden in the heart of Europe, has shed new light on the dynamics and capabilities of ancient civilizations. Research has revealed the existence of over 100 unknown and unexplored archaeological sites, belonging to a complex ancient society. The work of archaeologists from University College Dublin and their Serbian and Slovenian colleagues seems to be the solution to an intricate puzzle, the union of a sea of photos to recreate the prehistoric landscape of the southern Carpathian basin.
New light on European prehistory
The new information obtained not only redefines our understanding of Bronze Age architecture and urban planning, but also raises fascinating questions about the nature and organization of these forgotten societies. According to the professor Barry Molloy, head of the research team, the most interesting finding is that these megastructures were not isolated, but part of a dense network of interconnected communities. A circumstance that radically changes our historical picture.
All detected megastructures are located inland from the river Tisza, a major waterway in Central and Eastern Europe, which today extends across several national borders. These previously unknown communities are now collectively known as the Tisza Sites Group (TSG). The proximity of almost all TSG sites, located within 5 kilometers of each other and along a river corridor created by the Tisza River and the Danube, suggests that the communities were likely cooperative, allowing them to spread and thrive.
Innovative megastructures in the Bronze Age
Research indicates that the TSG was a major center of innovation in European prehistory. It functioned as a hub for the region in a period when the Mycenaeans, Hittites, and New Kingdom Egyptians were at their peak (1500 to 1200 BC) This period is considered a turning point in the prehistoric history of Europe. During the second millennium BC, this society's advanced military technologies and earthwork techniques spread across Europe once they collapsed around 1200 BC. The importance of this group of people now helps explain why material culture and l The iconography across Europe were so similar in this period.
We were able to do more than just identify the location of a few sites using satellite imagery. We were able to define an entire inhabited landscape, complete with maps of the size and layout of the sites, down to the positions of the homes within them. This truly gives unprecedented insight into how these Bronze Age people and their many neighboring communities lived.
Barry Molloy, University College Dublin
A complex and powerful society
Consider for a moment the historical context of the Bronze Age: it was not a peaceful time of plenty. In this period there were great innovations in warfare and organized violence: therefore the scale of these interconnected megastructures indicates the strength and power of this society. A true “superpower” of the time, well equipped to defend itself.
Detecting megastructures: an archaeological and technological challenge
To identify these new sites, the team used a variety of cutting-edge imaging technologies to map this ancient landscape. “We tested the satellite imagery results in the field using surveys, excavations and geophysical prospecting,” Molloy explained. “The vast majority of sites were established between 1600 and 1450 BC and virtually all collapsed by around 1200 BC. They were all abandoned en masse.”
That of 1200 BC (plus decade, minus decade) is an important crossroads in the prehistory of the Old World. Kingdoms, empires, cities, entire societies collapsed in a very short time in a huge area between south-west Asia, north Africa and southern Europe. This research represents a significant step in our understanding of the past and highlights the importance of introducing new technologies and interdisciplinary approaches into archaeology.
Molloy's team's findings not only offer a detailed look at life in the Bronze Age, but also provide crucial context for better understanding the history and dynamics of these ancient European civilizations.
