Stone tools left at a camp in southern Tibet about 11,000 years ago are giving scientists new clues about early human survival on the Tibetan Plateau, one of the harshest places people have ever lived.
Researchers studied 158 stone artifacts from the Luga site in Saga County, in the Shigatse area of the Xizang Autonomous Region. The site sits in the Yarlung Tsangpo Valley, a major east-west route across the southern plateau. The people who camped there made “microblades,” tiny stone blades that worked well for groups who moved often.
The study was published in the journal Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. It was led by Xuke Shen of Anhui University, working with scientists from Lanzhou University and the Cultural Relics Conservation Institute of the Xizang Autonomous Region.
Researchers found that Luga was likely a short-term camp. Small groups came there to gather stone and make tools. They mostly used chert and rock crystal found nearby. They also used high-quality obsidian from sources about 124 miles (200 kilometers) away.
Toolmakers adapted to local stone and planned long trips across the valley
The team said the toolmakers adjusted to the stone they had on hand. They used a technique called bipolar flaking and cut down the steps needed to prepare chert cores for making microblades. On long trips, they carried light sets of finely made obsidian and chert tools.
Food, water and stone were spread unevenly across the valley, so the groups planned their movements carefully, the study said. Their range covered roughly 56 to 124 miles (90 to 200 kilometers).
Starting around 11,000 years ago, people in the valley also shared toolmaking methods and mixed with groups on the Changtang Plateau and in Ngari Prefecture, the researchers said.
The study links this spread to a change in climate. A stronger East Asian summer monsoon in the early Holocene made the plateau warmer and wetter. The researchers said this helped microblade technology spread quickly across the region.
Luga site fills gap in early human survival story on Tibetan Plateau
The plateau averages about 14,170 feet (4,320 meters) above sea level and is often called the “Third Pole.” Its cold air and low oxygen make survival hard. More than 110 microblade sites have been found there, mostly in the east and north. Most sites in the Yarlung Tsangpo Valley are much younger, and no early site with reliable dates had been found there before.
The researchers said Luga fills that gap and offers valuable evidence about early human survival in high places like the Tibetan Plateau.
The team noted some limits. Most of the tools were collected from the ground surface, and only 17 came from two ancient fire pits. That makes it harder to date the full stone tool collection.
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
