New archaeological discoveries have pushed back the timeline for human habitation on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, famously known as the 'Roof of the World.' Recent studies indicate that this extreme high-altitude region of the Chinese mainland has been home to humans for over 50,000 years, surpassing previous estimates of 40,000 years.
After six years of meticulous excavation at the Melong Tagphug cave site in Ngari Prefecture, archaeologists from the Xizang Regional Institute of Cultural Relics Protection and the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences unearthed more than 10,000 cultural relics. These artifacts span from the Paleolithic Age to the early Metal Ages and include stone tools, bone fragments, pottery, bronze items, and plant remains, covering an extensive area of over 1,000 square meters within the cave.
Zhang Xiaoling of the IVPP highlighted that the oldest cultural remains found date back earlier than 53,000 years, with some potentially as old as 80,000 years. The cave, situated on a massif 4,700 meters above sea level, also houses intriguing rock paintings depicting vertical stripes and human figures in red ochre.
The study suggests that climatic factors or cave collapses may have led to periods of desertion, with humans returning to inhabit the cave in later periods. These multi-period cultural layers provide valuable insights into how ancient humans adapted to and survived in one of the planet's most challenging environments, shedding light on their migration patterns and social structures.
Reference(s):
'Roof of the world' inhabited since 50,000 years ago: archaeologists
cgtn.com
