Archaeological research achievements in Xizang ｜ Qiege site is expected to uncover the history of North China people’s migration into Tibet

CCTV News:Today (January 13th) morning, National Cultural Heritage Administration held a report meeting on archaeological discoveries in Xizang, and reported four major archaeological discoveries in Xizang, including Qiege site, Mabulu site, Gebuseru site and Dangxiong cemetery. Among them, Qiege site is a rare site of early prehistoric human activities with clear stratigraphic accumulation in the hinterland of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, which fills the gap between the hinterland of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and 8,000 years ago. The blank of prehistoric archaeological culture in 10000 years, and more importantly, a dense distribution area of stone products was found in the site, which is expected to gradually uncover the long history of North China people migrating into Tibet about 10 thousand years ago.

This is a fine stone core, less than two centimeters, with angular surface and "cut marks", which is the effect of pressing and "cutting" with a special tool. This is the small part that has been "cut". It is called a fine stone leaf by archaeologists. Its edge is as sharp as a blade, and its size is only a few millimeters to a few centimeters. It was used by people who cut heat on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau about 10,000 years ago. It is extremely difficult to "cut" a stone knife. Small fine stone cores and leaves condense the great wisdom of ancient humans on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in the Paleolithic Age.

These stone tools, which surprised archaeologists repeatedly, were unearthed at the Qiege site in Ali, Xizang. According to reports, Paleolithic remains such as fine stone leaves and fine stone cores are often found on the surface of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. However, the remains collected on the surface can’t determine the primary strata and dating, and when human activities appeared on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has been an important issue for half a century. In 2011, an archaeological team led by Zhang Xiaoling, an associate researcher at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, began to investigate in Xizang. In 2012, several potential sites were found on the banks of Shiquan River in Gaer County, Ali region. After further investigation and trial excavation, it was determined that Qiege site was of great research value. August & mdash; 2020; In September, the site was officially excavated, and more than 5,000 cultural relics were unearthed in an area of nearly 70 square meters. A long-lost human history on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in the Paleolithic Age slowly emerged.

Archaeologists said that nearly 30,000 years ago, the remains of fine stone leaves first appeared in North China, and reached a prosperous period about 15,000 years ago. However, the fine stone leaves and other cultural relics found in Qiege site in Xizang are highly similar to the remains in North China, and the time is relatively late. In which region did ancient humans migrate to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau? The answer has also become clear.

According to reports, in the whole Paleolithic period, that is, 99% of human history, human beings often migrated and moved because of changes in food and resources. Previously, the archaeological team of Zhang Xiaoling, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, discovered the track of human activities 40,000 years ago at the site of Naqunia in Xizang. The discovery of Qiege site fills a historical gap in the process of human survival and adaptation and the formation of Tibetan population in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau after 40,000 years.

Gao Xing, a researcher at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences:The ancient people, whether their remains or their cultural remains, may not all be preserved, so writing the history of human beings with archaeological materials can only be intermittent. I am afraid this puzzle will never be put together completely, but its big outline will be established.