Satellite Eyes and Human Steps: Mapping Archaeological Remains on the Ludogorsko Plateau without Excavation

The aim of this publication is to present some results of nondestructive surveys conducted on the Ludogorsko Plateau. The possibilities for registering archaeological sites by observing cultivated agricultural areas and identifying potential archaeological sites based on changes in the terrain is discussed. The Ludogorsko Plateau is a region in Northeastern Bulgaria, where a large number of hoards (consisting of bronze objects and stone moulds) dating to the Late Bronze Age and related to metallurgy have been discovered. During remote observations, Google Earth Pro was used as a tool for surveying large areas. In recent years, numerous suites of satellite images have been taken, allowing the surface to be surveyed during different seasons. The observation of the terrain in the program allows for the analysis of what are often called “crop marks” (changes in vegetation) and “soil marks” (visible changes in the soil surface due to drought etc.), which can be identified as the presence of archaeological features. Depending on the type of archaeological feature on the terrain, these changes appear in different ways. In the presence of potentially buried structures, it is noticeable in the image that the vegetation is of a more saturated green colour and better developed. After identifying the sites, they are verified through field surveys. For this purpose, it is best for the areas surveyed to be intensively cultivated, which provides the conditions for varying degrees of observation and better visibility at the time of the visit. The seasons in which the surveys are carried out are early spring or late autumn, when visibility is optimal. During this stage, extensive areas were surveyed or specific localities were purposefully visited. Based on this, pottery sherds and finds (flints, stone and small ceramic finds such as spindle whorls, loom weights, etc.) belonging to different periods were collected. Non-destructive field surveys are logically followed by large-scale geophysical surveys. These provide preliminary data on the topography, area, boundaries, internal distribution, and planimetry of archaeological sites. The results can be grouped by time period. Currently, research has provided information about the Late Bronze Age, Late Iron Age, Roman period, Middle Ages, and Bulgarian National Revival period. Their common characteristic is the possibility of remote observation enabled by the programme’s ability to observe the same terrain at different times of the year and under various soil cultivation and treatment methods. At this stage, the studies are still in the phase of accumulating and expanding the empirical database, and the results are incomplete and rather preliminary. Nevertheless, some initial observations can be presented, which can be confirmed or revised as more information is gathered. Thanks to the high efficiency of the remote observation methodology and the field survey strategy developed and implemented on this basis, a large number of archaeological sites have been identified on the Ludogorsko Plateau, covering a wide chronological range. This lays a solid foundation for future analyses of the settlement network in the region.