A breakthrough LiDAR survey over the Ennedi Plateau has revealed the sprawling ruins of a previously unknown urban complex belonging to the early Zaghawa people. The scans identified over 4,000 distinct structures, including a central fortified palace, extensive subterranean granaries, and a sophisticated water-harvesting system involving carved sandstone basins and gravity-fed channels. This 'lost city' served as a critical node in the trans-Saharan trade routes, linking the Lake Chad basin to the Nile Valley during the 8th and 9th centuries.
Archaeologists on the ground have already recovered polished carnelian beads and iron-tipped ceremonial spears that corroborate the site's role as a major administrative and military hub. The discovery significantly shifts our understanding of state formation in the Sahel, suggesting that complex, sedentary civilizations were thriving in the region much earlier and on a larger scale than historical records previously indicated. Excavations are expected to continue throughout the year to map the citadel's outer defensive walls.