Two ancient cities, Tugunbulak and Tashbulak, located in the eastern mountains of Uzbekistan, were recently mapped using LiDAR technology transported by drones, revealing their size and complexity. These cities are considered among the largest urban centers in the mountainous regions of the Silk Road, a global trade network that facilitated the exchange of goods, technologies, and ideas between Europe and Asia.
Over time, the Silk Road played a crucial role in shaping the modern world by enabling the transfer of innovations like paper and the compass, which accelerated Europe's progression out of the Middle Ages. Cities along this trade route, such as Tugunbulak and Tashbulak, economically thrived due to their strategic locations, though many of these cities declined as maritime trade routes emerged.