Archeologists uncover high-altitude human fossil
Print Edition
A KARST cave in northwestern China has been confirmed as the earliest archeological site discovered on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Chinese researchers announced at a press conference.
The study led by Chinese archeologists showed that a piece of a human fossil found in the Baishiya Karst Cave in Xiahe County, Gansu Province, is believed to belong to the ancient Denisovans, who lived around 160,000 years ago.
The findings provided both direct evidence of the Denisovans outside the Altai Mountains and considerably prolonged human habitation on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, one of the highest and most ecologically challenging places on the globe. The findings were published in the journal Nature in May.
According to Zhang Dongju, an associate professor with the College of Earth and Environmental Sciences of Lanzhou University and leader of the program, the team started excavation in 2018. It found more than 1,400 stone artifacts and about 600 pieces of animal bone fossils in the cave.
Analysis of the stone artifacts and the fossils indicated that they were from more than 40,000 years ago and believed to belong to Paleolithic epoch.
Therefore, the Baishiya Karst Cave, located 3,280 meters above sea level, is the earliest archeological site identified on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.
Chen Fahu, a lead scientist of the study and academician of the Chinese Academy of Science, added that the abundant artifacts and animal bone fossils confirmed that humans had successfully adapted to the high-altitude environment.
The discoveries are expected to offer a clue to how ancient humans on the East Asian continent evolved, according to the researchers.
鈥淎s of now, we are not very sure if these stone artifacts and animal bones have direct connections with the Xiahe Denisovans but we will continue on with further study,鈥 Chen said.
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