Ancient blade tech found on plateau

Chinese scientists have discovered the oldest-known microblade technology site on the south bank of the Serling Tso Lake in the Xizang autonomous region, adding to the historical timeline of early human activity on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Microblade technology refers to the creation of small stone blades, which were commonly used for blade inlays on bone or wooden handles in hunter-gatherer cultures.

At an altitude of over 4,500 meters, the discovery at Site 3 of the Niadi Site along the lake is characterized by typical microblade technology products, with over 1,100 stone artifacts unearthed, according to the research team.

The research by a team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, the region's institute of cultural relics protection and the cultural bureau of Nagchu city, was published recently in Science China: Earth Science.

According to the CAS institute, the findings offer a glimpse into the activities of early human populations in the plateau's hinterland approximately 11,000 to 10,000 years ago.

The analysis of the microblade technology revealed that wedge-shaped and semi-conical stone cores were used, similar to techniques found in the late Paleolithic period in North China. The similarities point to the extensive migration and settlement patterns of the time.

Zhang Xiaoling, a researcher at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, said that the discovery confirms that between 11,000 and 10,000 years ago, microblade technology had already reached the heart of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, which is of great significance in discussing the process of early migration and evolution of humans in high-altitude environments.

"Microblade technology, as a highly distinctive stone tool production technique, reflects the close connection between the North China region and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau during the late Pleistocene to early Holocene," Zhang said, adding that the period of large-scale diffusion of microblade technology groups on the plateau was a key period in the formation process of the ancestors of contemporary Tibetan people.

Contact the writers at palden_nyima@chinadaily.com.cn