The Origin And Initial Dispersal Of Sino-Tibetan Populations In Archaeology

The Origin And Initial Dispersal Of Sino-Tibetan Populations In Archaeology

AIA Society: Eugene
Lecturer: Li Liu

Sino-Tibetan is one of the largest language families in the world. Recent studies in comparative-historical linguistics and genetics suggest that Sino-Tibetan originated in the Yellow River valley, north China, around 8000-7200 BP, corresponding to the Neolithic Yangshao culture populations and their forebears. The divergence of Sino-Tibetan languages commenced around 5900 years ago, coinciding with Yangshao culture’s westward and southwestward expansion to the Tibetan Plateau during the sixth millennium BP. The Yangshao culture (ca. 7000-5000 BP) are characterized by four material components: centripetal settlement layout with a central plaza, large public buildings, highly developed painted pottery, and use of amphorae for brewing and drinking alcoholic beverages. These cultural elements were interrelated, together facilitating communal ritual feasts. Such activities may have helped to constitute various social relations through the means of producing, processing, and sharing foods, suggesting a practice that emphasized collaborations and connections among related groups when the proto Sino-Tibetan populations expanded to new territories during a period of climatic fluctuations.

Find Out More