Despite its enormous size, the Bronze Age megastructure has few signs of long-term habitation. Scientists believe it may have had seasonal use.
Archaeologists discovered a huge Bronze Age fortress in the Caucasus Mountains that gives clues about ancient human activity in this strategic region between Europe and Asia.
Known as Dmanisis Gora, the prehistoric structure, located in Georgia, dates back 3000 years and is one of the largest towns of his time in the South Caucasus. Despite its size, the purpose of the site and the identity of its builders remain unclear.
Dmanisis Gora was first excavated in 2018, but researchers were surprised when, in 2019, they discovered a second fortification wall surrounding the inner fortress. The discoveries have now been reported in a published in Antiquity.
The outer wall drastically increased the size of the settlement, with drone photography revealing the site to be 40 times bigger than previously thought initially. More than 11,000 aerial images were used to map the fortress and its surrounding features, including graves and agricultural systems.
The external fortification is a one kilometer long barrier built of rough stones, without mortar and two meters thick. Both the inner and outer walls were built simultaneously and formed a unified defense system. This suggests that the fortress and its outer settlement were part of a single, colossal site, explains the .
Despite its grandeur, the outer settlement reveals little evidence of long-term housing. Few artefacts were found, which led researchers to hypothesize that the site to have been sparsely populated or abandoned shortly after its construction. One theory is that the fortress had a seasonal purpose, perhaps as a staging area for shepherds during times of migration.
If this interpretation is correct, it would explain the significant resources invested in the fortifications, which may have been crucial to protect livestock or seasonal trade. However, the site’s true purpose remains an enigma. Researchers plan further research to explore population density, livestock management and agricultural practices in the area.
