Ancient high-altitude human settlements

Newly discovered archaeological sites 2.8 miles (4,500 metres) above sea level, high in the Andes mountains of Peru, have shed new light on the altitudes that archaeologists thought was possible for humans to create permanent settlements. These new discoveries have surprised archaeologists who had previously considered it impossible for humans to settle at such high altitudes.  The existence of the sites at such altitudes reveals that humans managed to adapt to such harsh environments much earlier than had previously been thought.
 

Andes Mountains, South America by David Adam Kess - CC BY-SA 3.0

 High-altitude living

A study published in the magazine Science (24 October 2014) reveals that an archaeological team has discovered artefacts and stone buildings decorated with art works which the researchers say are evidence of continued human settlement at high-altitudes. Kurt Rademaker of the University of Maine, the lead author of the report said, "There are many sites of this age at lower elevations in the Andes, and of course there are older sites [at lower elevations] elsewhere in the world, but there is nothing this old at this elevation."    

At such a high altitude the environment would be exceptionally harsh and difficult to live in.  Settlers would have to cope with cold temperatures, high solar radiation and low oxygen and the researchers are not sure how they managed to survive in such inhospitable places.   Some experts think that the settlers may have genetically adapted to the conditions over thousands of years.  Read more