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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 1^stmillennium 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. 

ABSTRACT Studies of ‘food globalisation’ have traced the dispersal of cereals across prehistoric Eurasia. The degree to which these crops were accompanied by knowledge of soil and water preparation is less well known, however. The authors use stable isotope and archaeobotanical analyses to trace long-term trends in cultivation practices on the Loess Plateau (6000 BC–AD 1900). The results indicate that ancient farmers cultivated grains originating in South-west Asia and used distinct strategies for different species. Barley was integrated into pre-existing practices, while wheat was grown using novel soil and water management strategies. These distinct approaches suggest that the spread of prehistoric crops and knowledge about them varied by local context.