ENAMEL STRONTIUM ISOTOPES OF MAMMALS UNEARTHED FROM THE SITES ON THE NORTHERN SLOPE OF THE HIMALAYAS
The successful adaptation of livestock to extreme high-altitude environments may have facilitated the formation of the agropastoral economy on the Tibetan Plateau.However,very little is known about how the ancient inhabitants of the plateau acquired and utilized animal resources.Here we analyze the strontium isotope ratios(87Sr/86Sr)in the teeth enamel of mammals excavated from archaeological sites on the northern slopes of the Himalayas,exploring the migration behavior of ancient animals on the Tibetan Plateau and their potential impacts on regional cultural exchanges.By conducting strontium isotope analysis on large mammal tooth samples from four key sites—Gebu Sailu cemetery(31.67° N,79.83°E),Khyung Lung site(31.07°N,80.56°E),Dama cemetery(28.27° N,91.23° E),and Von Cang Do site(29.43° N,90.95° E)—we found significant differences in the 87Sr/86Sr ratios among individual animals,indicating that they may have originated from different geographical regions.At the Gebusailu cemetery,the 87Sr/86Sr values for 13 animal individuals range between 0.710261 and 0.714808,with an average of 0.71257±0.00132.At the Von Cang Do site,the enamel 87Sr/86Sr values for 5 animal individuals range from 0.709520 to 0.715485,with an average of 0.71235±0.00246.The enamel 87Sr/86Sr sequence for 5 animals at the Khyung Lung site ranges from 0.711357 to 0.715658,with the sheep individual(Q3)having a range as high as 0.00409.The enamel 87Sr/86Sr sequences for yaks(D1 and D2)from the Dama cemetery are similar,with a range of less than 0.00070.Through the analysis of 87Sr/86Sr variations in enamel sequences,we determined the migration threshold for the study area to be a range of 87Sr/86Sr greater than 0.001,identifying individuals with significant migration histories.Geographic assignment analysis revealed diverse sources of animals,including the interior of the plateau,its margins,and the surrounding low-altitude regions.These findings suggest that the migration behavior of ancient animals not only diversified local subsistence strategies but also strengthened connections between different altitudinal zones,supporting the networks of the Silk Road on the plateau.This study provides new perspectives on the role of ancient animal migration in regional interactions and the development of Tibetan Plateau cultures.
northern slope of the Himalayasanimal migrationenamelstrontium isotope analysisthe Silk Roads of the Tibetan Plateau
万方数据
维普
