Terminal Pleistocene Human Occupation of the Qomolangma Region: New Evidence from the Su-re Site
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Site Background
2.2. Materials and Methods
3. Results
3.1. Geomorphology of the Su-re Site
- Between 600 and 500 years ago—characterized by layers of fine sand and gravel with alternating structures (Layer 2), which were affected by frequent but weak hydraulic processes.
- Between 6000 and 3000 years ago (Layer 3; Table 1)—paleosol development, albeit still subject to hydraulic processes.
- Between 11,000 and 10,000 years ago (Layer 4)—the vicinity of the site experienced some freeze–thaw action.
- Approximately 15,000 years ago (Layer 5)—corresponding to the Bølling–Allerød Interstadial, characterized by paleosol development.
3.2. The Su-re Lithic Assemblage
4. Discussion
4.1. Human–Environment Interactions in the Qomolangma Region
4.2. Core-and-Flake Technology on the Tibetan Plateau
- (1)
- The most widely distributed Terminal Pleistocene-to-Early Holocene flake tool industries can be found in Western, Southern, and Northern Tibetan Plateau, such as at the Su-re and Ge-ting sites [39]. This category does not exhibit clear evidence of laminar or discoidal knapping sequences, and no obvious core preparation can be identified, although some specific knapping strategies employed during both core-on-flake and core-on-pebble approaches can be seen. The target products (flakes) are sometimes triangular or elongated but are in most cases irregular.
- (2)
- A special group of “Quina” style Middle Paleolithic retouched tools have been found in North Tibetan Plateau that are especially associated with lacustrine environments [40]. Multilayer, intensive, stepped, and thinning retouch can be identified on many tools, but this whole assemblage remains unclear and has not thus far been adequately studied.
- (3)
- A pebble tool technocomplex has been found on the terraces of large rivers such as the Yarlung Tsangpo and Langchen Tsangpo. Typical lithic artifacts include choppers and chopping tools, including end choppers, side choppers, and discoids. Discoids are fashioned on flat and circular river pebbles, with centripetal removals retaining one unretouched side, perhaps to facilitate handling [41]. Such tools resemble discoids found in the Siwalik Hills of northeast Pakistan, Northern India, and southwest Nepal [42], while side and end choppers appear closely related to pebble tools found in Southwest China [43,44]. No Hoabinhian-style tools (e.g., “sumatraliths”, core-axes) or techno-typological characteristics thereof have yet been recognized in Xizang. At present, all such pebble tools have been surface collected and have no reliably associated chronometric dates.
Author Contributions
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Lab. No. | Sampling Locality | Material | uncal. BP (yBP) | yrs. cal.BP (years cal.BP) | δ13C (‰) | Layer | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Beta-570211 | Su-re | Unidentified charcoal | 2780 ± 30 | 2952–2793 * | −21.1 | Layer 3 | This study |
Beta-570213 | Su-re | Unidentified charcoal | 2760 ± 30 | 2929–2779 * | −21.0 | Layer 3 | This study |
Beta-570215 | Su-re | Unidentified charcoal | 2830 ± 30 | 3007–2855 * | −21.3 | Layer 3 | This study |
Poz-99983 | Su-re | Sediment | 5200 ± 35 | 5903–6168 * | −25.1 ± 1.0 | Paleosol (equal to Layer 3) | [16] |
CEDAD_LTL16960A | Su-re | Sediment | 5881 ± 50 | 6562–6844 ** | −32.9 ± 0.6 | Paleosol (equal to Layer 3) | [16] |
Poz-100148 | Su-re | Sediment | 3925 ± 30 | 4249–4438 ** | −20.5 ± 0.3 | Paleosol (equal to Layer 3) | [16] |
CEDAD_LTL16961A | Su-re | Unidentified charcoal | 2792 ± 45 | 2781–3000 ** | −23.5 ± 0.3 | Paleosol (equal to Layer 3) | [16] |
Poz-71933 | Su-re | Sediment | 5560 ± 40 | 6289–6411 ** | −29.4 ± 1.0 | Paleosol (equal to Layer 3) | [16] |
Procedure | Category | Number | |
---|---|---|---|
Knapping | Core | Broad-faced unidirectional core | 3 |
Broad-faced bidirectional core | 1 | ||
Alternating core | 2 | ||
Multiplatform core | 2 | ||
Other | 15 | ||
Flake | Complete | 305 | |
Incomplete (broken and split) | 63 | ||
Chunk | 38 | ||
Debris | 29 | ||
Shatter | 14 | ||
Total | 471 | ||
Retouching | Retouched items | Side scraper | 63 |
Notch | 8 | ||
Point | 19 | ||
Denticulate | 6 | ||
Notch-denticulate | 1 | ||
Miscellaneous | 4 |
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Yang, Z.; Jin, Y.; Tan, Y.; Ge, J.; Wang, S.; Gao, X.; Olsen, J.W.; Zhang, X. Terminal Pleistocene Human Occupation of the Qomolangma Region: New Evidence from the Su-re Site. Land 2024, 13, 1064. https://doi.org/10.3390/land13071064
Yang Z, Jin Y, Tan Y, Ge J, Wang S, Gao X, Olsen JW, Zhang X. Terminal Pleistocene Human Occupation of the Qomolangma Region: New Evidence from the Su-re Site. Land. 2024; 13(7):1064. https://doi.org/10.3390/land13071064
Chicago/Turabian StyleYang, Ziyi, Yingshuai Jin, Yunyao Tan, Junyi Ge, Shejiang Wang, Xing Gao, John W. Olsen, and Xiaoling Zhang. 2024. "Terminal Pleistocene Human Occupation of the Qomolangma Region: New Evidence from the Su-re Site" Land 13, no. 7: 1064. https://doi.org/10.3390/land13071064
APA StyleYang, Z., Jin, Y., Tan, Y., Ge, J., Wang, S., Gao, X., Olsen, J. W., & Zhang, X. (2024). Terminal Pleistocene Human Occupation of the Qomolangma Region: New Evidence from the Su-re Site. Land, 13(7), 1064. https://doi.org/10.3390/land13071064