Hidden in the sand: the deep learning dataset of fortified villages (qala)

A qala is a fortified stand-alone village or landowner's residence commonly found in Iran, Afghanistan and neighbouring countries. Settlements of this type played a key role in spatial and social organisation during the Sassanian (224–651 CE) and the Islamic periods. A typical qala has a rectangular layout. It is surrounded by a thick wall and protected by towers, which makes it easy to recognise in satellite and aerial photographs. Data on the location of qalas is known from numerous ethnographic and archaeological studies. Despite extensive research, no attempts have yet been made to use artificial intelligence (deep learning) to study their distribution.This dataset comprises a database of qala structures, images, and annotations for training deep learning models, covering selected test areas in Iran and Afghanistan. HEXAGON images available on the Earth Explorer portal were used.The dataset contains the same files in two forms: as a single ZIP archive that preserves the directory structure, and as individual files deposited directly in a flat structure.