Tibetan Plateau, Archaeology of

New evidence for early human habitation in the Nyingchi Region, Southeast Tibetan Plateau

“…However, there are millions of people living on the TP today. The questions of when humans first migrated to the TP and what their subsistence strategies were have been attracting much scholarly attention worldwide (Aldenderfer, 2011; Aldenderfer and Yinong, 2004; Brantingham et al, 2003; d’Alpoim Guedes and Aldenderfer, 2019; Flad, 2016; Hein, 2018; Madsen, 2016; Madsen et al, 2006). Previous studies have shown that humans have overcome this natural barrier and occupied the TP from a very early period.…”

Introduction of barley to the Tibetan Plateau: an important step toward Tibetan civilization

“…However, the spatial and temporal patterns of domestication, particularly the interface between humans and plants, remain less investigated. In this issue of NSR , based on archaeological and high-resolution genetic data, Li et al [ 4 ] present a state-of-the-art investigation on the history of early human settlement on the Tibetan Plateau (TP), providing new insights into the origin and settlement of Tibetans.…”

“…By exploring tens of thousands of mitogenomes in Tibetans and surrounding populations, including those who descended from Neolithic millet farmers, in cooperation with radiocarbon dating of cereal remains from archaeological sites on the TP and in northern China, Li et al . [ 4 ] showed that two mitochondrial haplogroups in current Tibetans could trace their ancestry back to northern China approximately 10 000 years ago and have in situ differentiation on the TP 5200–4000 years ago, representing the genetic legacy of Neolithic millet farmers in contemporary Tibetans. The finding of a substantial genetic contribution by the Neolithic millet farmers to the Tibetan gene pool at the time of barley dispersal to the TP provided the first piece of evidence demonstrating that it was Neolithic millet farmers from the lower-altitude northeastern parts of the plateau, rather than the immigrants from West Asia, who brought barley agriculture to the TP approximately 3600 years ago and contributed to permanent human settlement on the plateau.…”

“…As nicely shown by Li et al . [ 4 ], genetic information arising from high-resolution data, in combination with archaeological evidence, is able to unravel scenarios that seem elusive. Despite this progress, as the authors acknowledged [ 4 ], investigations based on large-scale and high-resolution Y chromosome data are needed to better understand the migration history of Tibetans.…”

“…[ 4 ], genetic information arising from high-resolution data, in combination with archaeological evidence, is able to unravel scenarios that seem elusive. Despite this progress, as the authors acknowledged [ 4 ], investigations based on large-scale and high-resolution Y chromosome data are needed to better understand the migration history of Tibetans. On the other hand, knowledge of plant and animal domestications would help the understanding of the history of agricultural development and human civilizations.…”