Researchers examining drone images have identified possible hidden streets in the ancient Greek city of Akragas (Argigento) in Sicily, where faint lines across farmland may trace roads that have remained buried for centuries.
Duke University and the Valley of the Temples archaeological park conducted the aerial survey in August 2017. Maurizio Forte and Everett Newton reported the results on Friday.
A fixed-wing drone equipped with ordinary and infrared cameras mapped roughly 2 square kilometers (494.21 acres) of the ancient city. The images captured slight differences in ground elevation and plant health during the summer drought.
In several fields, shallow depressions and raised lines run in the same directions as known ancient streets. Some appear to continue the pattern beyond areas already excavated. The researchers described some markings as “strong candidates for streets and terrace walls of the buried city.”
Hidden streets could change the ancient Greek city map
The clues matter because the accepted layout of Akragas is less certain than earlier maps suggested. A ground survey in 2016 confirmed only about half the ancient structures previously marked on plans, prompting calls to recheck the city’s street network.
The newly examined images show lines spaced in ways that match blocks about 35 meters (115 feet) wide in a previously excavated neighborhood. Infrared images add another clue: Buried walls may leave soil drier, affecting the growth of plants above them. Some vegetation patterns overlap with changes in the ground surface.
But the signs are not conclusive. Old farm terraces, property boundaries and lines of trees can create similar patterns. Researchers checked whether the marks follow the ancient grid across modern fields.
Closer images of the San Nicola area also show exposed building walls and terraces near the ancient theater, which archaeologists confirmed through ground surveys and excavation in 2016.
Drone maps may help archaeologists decide where to dig
Akragas was founded around 580 B.C. and became one of the Mediterranean’s major Greek cities. Its surviving temples are part of a UNESCO World Heritage site, but much of the settlement remains buried beneath fields and orchards.
The drone project also created a three-dimensional model connecting the city’s temples, theater, and central public area. Researchers say the maps could guide more precise underground surveys and help identify promising places for excavation.
The images alone cannot establish what lies beneath the soil, particularly where tree cover blocks the view. Additional ground testing and repeat drone flights in different seasons could help distinguish ancient remains from later agricultural features.
For now, the survey offers a clearer picture of where archaeologists might look next, with possible proof of a newly uncovered street network.
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