Lezing
Two Modes of Sedentism on the Tibetan Plateau
- Datum
- donderdag 3 september 2026
- Tijd
- Locatie
-
Van Steenis
Einsteinweg 2
2333 CC Leiden - Zaal
- F1.02
Abstract
Sedentism is one of the milestone events in the development of human society. Settlement in ultra-high-altitude regions reflects human physiological and cultural adaptation to extreme environments. Through morphological identification, isotopic analysis, and ancient DNA analysis of faunal and floral remains from the Lapo site (2800 m a.s.l., 4800 BP) and the Mabu Co site (4420–4460 m a.s.l., 4400 BP) on the Tibetan Plateau, we discovered that the process of sedentism on the plateau followed at least two distinct modes. In relatively low-altitude river valleys, intensive millet‑pig agriculture supported early settlement, whereas in high-altitude regions where crop cultivation is not possible, a fishing‑hunting economy centered on lake resources initiated the sedentism process.
PhD defence Jingwen Liao
Professor Xiaoyan Yang is in Leiden as part of the committee for the PhD defence of Jingwen Liao.