Travertine, a secondary calcite deposit formed in tectonically and geothermally active regions of the Tibetan Plateau, preserves diverse environmental signals, including evidence of past human activity. The Quesang site contains prehistoric human hand- and footprint impressions whose ages have long been debated. Here, we applied isothermal thermoluminescence dating to travertine samples, evaluating the reliability of the equivalent dose measurements and the influence of erosion on dose rate estimates. Electron spin resonance and U-Th dating were also used for cross-validation. Our results show that isothermal thermoluminescence dating provides robust and reliable ages, confirming the prehistoric origin of the hand- and footprints and resolving previous chronological controversies. Beyond Quesang, isothermal thermoluminescence dating offers a promising approach for dating human traces in travertine and other carbonate deposits, providing new insights into the timing and distribution of early human presence on the Tibetan Plateau.
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