GIS Based Analysis of Traffic Routes and Geological Division of Qinghai-Tibetan in Prehistoric Period

Abstract

The environment of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is Harsh, but it is not a restricted area for life. The obviously evidence suggests that humans have expanded to the plateau area at the time of the last deglacial. Through long-term practice, the more stable pattern of traffic is formed. Through the construction of natural factor simulation - site distribution correction method, using GIS to obtain the traffic simulation results of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in the prehistoric period, combined with archaeological evidence to confirm the simulation routes. Plateau is divided into four districts based on the simulation results, namely: northeast area, southeast area, southwest area and northwest area without man. The routes site density of the northeast area is high. And the number of sites falling into the routes accounted for 88.56% of the total number of sites in this area. The earliest routes were formed during the paleolithic period. The direction of the routes is east-west direction. The routes closely link to the internal of northeast area and link to out of the Loess Plateau and the northern 1area of China. The formation and development of the routes laid the foundation for the spread of pottery, wheat, millet and the formation of the Silk Road. The direction of routes is north-south direction in the southeast area. The northern part of the route connects the upper of the Yellow River area. And the southern part of the route connects the Sichuan Basin and Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. The routes strengthen the cultural exchanges between the South and the North, and are the large corridors of national integration and communication. The southwest area is located in the center of the plateau. The routes of this area reflect the conquest of the main body in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The total length of the routes is 4602.32km. It is the longest in three regions. The routes are the human to the plateau to enter the second important channel. Northwest area mainly for the alpine desert area, its natural environment is not suitable for human survival, so the area without route distribution.