作为世界屋脊，青藏高原具有高寒缺氧、生态环境恶劣的特点，这些条件大大迟滞了古代人群迁入的步伐。晚更新世时期，人类认知、行为能力发展达到高峰，适应环境的能力大大加强。近年来对青藏高原边缘地区的研究显示，人类在30kaB.P.时可能已经扩展到这一区域。作为青藏高原核心和主体的西藏自治区迄今尚未发现有明确地层和可信年代数据的旧石器时代古代人类遗存。本课题拟通过系统、连续、目的明确的考古调查和发掘工作，在西藏自治区寻找具有地层依据的人类旧石器遗址，利用石器技术功能分析、动物考古学研究、年代学研究和古环境指标提取等多种研究方法，探索古人类最早何时迁入西藏、环境背景如何、他们怎样利用工具和动植物资源来适应高原环境。

As the highest region in the world, the harsh, high-elevation environment erected a substantial biogeographic barrier to initial human colonization and delayed the peopling of the Tibetan Plateau. The capability of human behavior and cognition developed to a high level in the late Pleistocene period. Recent archaeologic research works indicate hominids may arrive at the Tibetan Plateau margin region around 30 ka B.P. However, no reliable evidence of human colonization was discovered in Tibet which is the main and core area of the Tibetan Plateau. The limited discoveries are all from the surface. Our project is planning a systematic archeological investigation to find human remains in situ. Excavation will be undertaken when necessary. Lithic analysis, zoo archaeology, dating method and paleo-environment study will be employed in our project to answer when did people first occupied Tibet and how did they adapt.