⛰️ Early Tibetans: local roots with southern links

Ancient DNA from 16 people at the high-altitude Mabu Co site shows a stable southern-plateau ancestry from ~4,400–3,500 years ago, with periodic contacts from outside.

Part of the community carries a Basal Asian (Xingyi-related) signal from southwestern China, hinting at movement along the Tibetan–Yi corridor. Some individuals also show input from Yellow River farmers, likely tied to millet farming.

Maternal lineages are diverse, while Y-chromosomes are more uniform — consistent with male-biased gene flow from lowlands. The high-altitude adaptation gene EPAS1 is present and its frequency shifts over time between women and men.

Takeaway: Early Tibet wasn’t a single migration. A core plateau ancestry persisted while selective pulses from the south and lowlands reshaped the gene pool — alongside ongoing high-altitude adaptation.

Source: Ran et al., 2025. Ancient genomes reveal basal Asian ancestries and dynamic population interactions over time on the southern Tibetan Plateau.