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Title: Into thin air: prehistoric intensive crop management in high altitude western Tibet
High-altitude conditions on the Tibetan Plateau are often depicted as an inhospitable environment for conventional farming, yet evidence shows that communities in western Tibet grew ecologically hardy crops such as 6-row barley (Hordeum vulgare) by at least the 1stmillennium BCE, at locations above 4,000 meters above sea level (masl). However, little is known about the specific cultivation strategies and culinary traditions that these agropastoral communities developed. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope compositions of grains inform growing conditions and provide much needed insight into the cultivation strategies in such a unique environment. We use δ13C and δ15N values of archaeologically recovered barley remains to investigate past watering and soil-management strategies. Our results infer high labor investment in manuring and watering in barley farming. This suggests an intensive cultivation system in Western Tibet, 1,000 BCE −1,000 CE, despite the high-altitude pastoral landscape.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
2230527
PAR ID:
10632375
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ; ; ; ;
Editor(s):
Bishop, Rosie R
Publisher / Repository:
Frontiers in Environmental Archaeology
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Frontiers in Environmental Archaeology
Volume:
3
ISSN:
2813-432X
Subject(s) / Keyword(s):
barley cultivation stable isotope analysis cultivation strategies archaeobotany Tibetan Plateau
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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