Genetic Crossroads South of the Yinshan: 35 Ancient Genomes Trace Neolithic Cultural Diffusion on the Southeastern Mongolian Plateau

Between the East Asian steppe and the farming populations of northern China lies a mountainous transition zone: the southern foot of the Yinshan range and the southeastern edge of the Mongolian Plateau. A team led by Fu Qiaomei, writing in The Innovation, uses 35 ancient genomes to trace how people interacted across this belt since the Neolithic.

The study covers four sites—Xinglong, Sitai, Zhengjiagou, and Leigongshan—spanning radiocarbon dates from about 8,800 years ago to more recent millennia. These locations sit precisely on the mountain corridor linking the steppe with northern plains and river valleys. The ancient genomes show sustained material and genetic exchange between steppe and North China farming populations from Neolithic times onward, with measurable population dynamics sitting behind cultural spread.

Scholars have long weighed whether northern Neolithic diffusion happened through migration or through cultural transmission. These genomes suggest that, at least south of the Yinshan, the two were intertwined, with the mountain corridor acting as a long-lived genetic passage.

Note: the article first appeared online on 20 November 2025; 5 January 2026 marks its formal issue date, which is why it is covered here.

Source: Tian-Xiang Liu, Zhanhu Zhao et al.; corresponding Qiao-Mei Fu. The Innovation, 2026-01-05.