Neolithic lakeside site unearthed in Xizang provides the first evidence of a 'historical origin' in central Xizang's prehistoric culture

A Neolithic lakeside site in Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region has been unearthed, according to the Xinhua News Agency. Xia Gewangdui, the leader of the archaeological team, said that the excavation of the Mabucuo site, along with multidisciplinary research, has provided the first evidence of a "historical origin" in central Xizang's prehistoric culture, dating back 4,000 years.  

"The cultural features of the second and third phases of the Mabucuo site are markedly different from those of other previously discovered sites in Xizang, representing a completely new cultural cluster, the 'Mabucuo Culture.' This discovery is another milestone in the field of Neolithic archaeology in Xizang, following the Karuo and Qugong sites," Xia noted.

"The site provides us with a practical example of how prehistoric plateau populations adapted to changing conditions by integrating different cultural elements. These populations adopted varying cultural and economic strategies centered around lake resources at different stages of development," he said.

The research results show that the main period of the site spans from 4,800 to 2,000 years ago. Excavated remains indicate that the Mabucuo ancestors were typical East Asian people and representatives of the indigenous plateau population. The first phase of the Mabucuo site was primarily based on hunting and fishing, with fish being the main source of food.

The Mabucuo site is located at the border between the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and South Asia. It sits at a cultural exchange hub. So far, it has yielded a set of distinctly dated and the earliest plateau radiocarbon-dated foreign artifacts, according to Xinhua reports.

In 2019, during the second comprehensive survey of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau on the history of human activities and their impacts, China's joint archaeological team first discovered the Mabucuo site.

The Mabucuo site, excavated by a Chinese joint archaeological team over five years, is currently the most clearly sequenced Neolithic lakeside site in the central Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, and despite being influenced by various external elements, it has maintained its distinct cultural features.