Agriculture facilitated permanent human occupation of the Tibetan Plateau after 3600 B.P.

TLDR

Humans only settled permanently on the Tibetan plateau about 3600 years ago, despite earlier traces dating back 20,000 years, because year‑round habitation at high altitudes was impossible until suitable crops such as barley were introduced. The study examined archaeological crop remains in northeastern Tibet to determine when agriculture began on the plateau. The authors analyzed these crop remains to elucidate the timing of agricultural settlement. Prehistoric farming communities expanded onto the plateau concurrently with a cooling climate. Chen et al., Science, this issue p.

Abstract

Colonizing the roof of the world Humans only settled permanently on the Tibetan plateau about 3600 years ago. Chen et al. examined archaeological crop remains unearthed in northeastern Tibet, which elucidate the timing of agricultural settlement. Although much earlier traces of humans in Tibet have been dated to 20,000 years ago, year-round presence at the highest altitudes appears to have been impossible until the advent of suitable crops, such as barley. Surprisingly, these prehistoric farming communities expanded onto the plateau at the same time as climate was cooling. Science , this issue p. 248