LiDAR Reveals Neolithic Romanian Fortress Towns
Another day, another fascinating LiDAR discovery, this time in the Romanian county of Neamț. Archaeologists have used the pulsed laser technology to uncover ancient human settlements hidden in the dense forests of the area.
The study, a joint collaboration between Geocad Services, Geo Edu Lab, and the National Institute for Research and Development for Earth Physics, has uncovered evidence of fortified settlements. According to the story published in Observator News they are thought to date back some 5,000 years, to the transition period between the Neolithic and the Bronze Age.
The fortified settlements were sited by the ancients who built them with a keen understanding of local geography. Ditches were dug around high points in the landscape, which were then reinforced with high earthworks. Such locations would have been easily defensible and offer a commanding view of the surrounding landscape.
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Nor are these small outposts. “Field measurements indicated that some of these ditches had impressive dimensions with lengths of several hundred metres, which required considerable human effort in the construction,” explains Professor Vasile Diaconu from the Neamț National Museum Complex.
“LiDAR scans showed that most of the fortified sites were located in high areas, which had good visibility and were reinforced by ditches and even earthen mounds in order to increase their defensive capacity.”
One other, much later structure in the area was also subject to LiDAR imaging. The medieval fortress known as Neamț Citadel, constructed in the mid 14th century, was also scanned. It is hoped that this data may shed light on the construction techniques and full extent of the grand castle.
Header Image: The 5,000 year old Romanian fortress structures are hidden underneath dense forest. Source: Geocad Services / Facebook.
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