DUBAI: Across the deserts and mountain valleys of the Arab world, drones are now doing work that once took teams of archaeologists months to complete.
In northern Saudi Arabia, for example, aerial surveys can map an entire ancient settlement in minutes, revealing faint outlines of walls, pathways and structures hidden beneath the surface.
These images are later turned into 3D models — part of a growing effort across the region to use technology to trace old trade routes, map forgotten sites and better understand how people once moved across Arabia and beyond.
Much of this work is connected to renewed interest in the Silk Road and the networks that once linked Arabia with the wider world.
The Silk Road refers to a network of ancient trade routes that linked East Asia with the Middle East, North Africa and Europe for more than 1,500 years.
