Haas Randall, Stefanescu Ioana C, Garcia-Putnam Alexander, Aldenderfer Mark S, Clementz Mark T, Murphy Melissa S, Llave Carlos Viviano, Watson James T
Department of Anthropology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
Collasuyo Archaeological Research Institute, Puno, Peru.
R Soc Open Sci. 2017 Jun 28;4(6):170331. doi: 10.1098/rsos.170331. eCollection 2017 Jun.
High-elevation environments above 2500 metres above sea level (m.a.s.l.) were among the planet's last frontiers of human colonization. Research on the speed and tempo of this colonization process is active and holds implications for understanding rates of genetic, physiological and cultural adaptation in our species. Permanent occupation of high-elevation environments in the Andes Mountains of South America tentatively began with hunter-gatherers around 9 ka according to current archaeological estimates, though the timing is currently debated. Recent observations on the archaeological site of Soro Mik'aya Patjxa (8.0-6.5 ka), located at 3800 m.a.s.l. in the Andean Altiplano, offer an opportunity to independently test hypotheses for early permanent use of the region. This study observes low oxygen (O) and high carbon (C) isotope values in human bone, long travel distances to low-elevation zones, variable age and sex structure in the human population and an absence of non-local lithic materials. These independent lines of evidence converge to support a model of permanent occupation of high elevations and refute logistical and seasonal use models. The results constitute the strongest empirical support to date for permanent human occupation of the Andean highlands by hunter-gatherers before 7 ka.
海拔2500米以上的高海拔环境是地球上人类殖民的最后前沿地区之一。关于这一殖民过程的速度和节奏的研究正在积极开展，对理解我们人类的遗传、生理和文化适应率具有重要意义。根据目前的考古估计，南美洲安第斯山脉高海拔环境的永久居住大约在9千年前由狩猎采集者初步开始，不过目前这一时间仍存在争议。最近对位于安第斯高原海拔3800米处的索罗·米卡亚·帕特贾（8.0 - 6.5千年前）考古遗址的观察，为独立检验该地区早期永久使用的假设提供了机会。本研究观察到人类骨骼中低氧（O）和高碳（C）同位素值、前往低海拔地区的长距离行程、人口中可变的年龄和性别结构以及非本地石器材料的缺失。这些独立的证据线索共同支持了高海拔永久居住模式，并驳斥了后勤和季节性使用模式。这些结果构成了迄今为止对狩猎采集者在7千年前之前永久占据安第斯高地的最有力实证支持。
