Photos: Human Footprints Help Date Ancient Tibetan Site

Previous particulars

This handprint, imaged additionally in 2006, is likely one of the clearest photos present in Chusang. The positioning was found in 1998.

Mountains excessive

Chusang, a web site located within the central plateau of the best Himalayan ranges, options 19 human handprints and footprints at this western-facing overlook.

Historical mountains

Everlasting residents at the moment are believed to have resided right here within the excessive mountains of Tibet no less than 2,000 years sooner than beforehand thought.

First peoples

The excessive mountains of Tibet have been believed to be extra lately populated, however proof is displaying a lot older residents. The group used three separate methods to extra precisely date the positioning.

Historic pilgrimmages

At one other close by location, stone instruments have been situated. This valley, seen from that location, reveals the chorten, a Buddhist shrine.

Footprint myths

The handprints and footprints are discovered close to this chorten, or Buddhist shrine. Years of pilgrimages to honor Milarepa, a yogi and poet, on the web site have smoothed the previous prints. Locals attribute the impressions to him.

Clear digits

These imprints have been created below the burden of a human physique when the travertine was forming within the sizzling spring, as evidenced by the continual layers under them. Particular person toes are nonetheless seen.

Previous and current

One approach used to check the positioning is optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) which enlisted the Risø luminescence reader and its single-grain attachment discovered on the College of Innsbruck in Austria.

Glowing shiny

The only-grain attachment with its inexperienced laser evaluated the luminescence held inside a single sand-size grain of quartz.

Genetic part

Consultants now approximate that Chusang was settled between 7,400 and 12,600 years in the past. This jives with genetic knowledge from earlier research that postulated the Tibetan individuals reached the excessive central plateau between eight,000 and eight,400 years in the past.

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