A breakthrough research report released in January 2026 has utilized advanced satellite and UAV multispectral imagery to identify previously unknown administrative and industrial structures within the Sungai Batu Archaeological Complex. The study, published in the journal Built Heritage, mapped remnants of iron-smelting tuyères and ancient "Syahbandar" (port officer) locations that had been hidden by dense jungle for centuries.
The detection was made possible by isolating specific spectral bands that reveal the contrast of ancient brick materials beneath the monsoon forest canopy. These findings suggest that the ancient Kedah civilization was a far more complex and urbanized trade hub than previously understood, maintaining large-scale iron exports as early as the 2nd century AD. The discovery provides a new roadmap for future physical excavations at the site.