Tibet, known as "the Roof of the World", is an inseparable part of the People's Republic of China. The Tibetans, as remarkable people of the Chinese nation with a long history and advanced culture, have developed this abundant but formidable land by working with the Hans and other ethnic groups. They have created a unique and splendid civilization, with its religion, philosophy, history, architecture, language, literature and arts enchanting people all over the world. The rich historical relics of this poetic and mysterious land are evidence of Tibet's historical progress and cultural evolution. They serve as carriers of both material and spiritual civilizations created by the Tibetan people.

Prior to Tibet's peaceful liberation in 1951, archaeological work in the region was limited to a few ground surface investigations entirely carried out by foreigners. In the 19th century, imperialist countries such as Britain and Russia sent missionaries, merchants and explorers to engage in public or covert activities in Tibet to realize their aggressive ambitions. Some scholars came with them with different intentions and conducted geographical and biological investigations. Fragmentary archaeological discoveries were mainly recorded in travel journals or reports, and they primarily covered the ruins of the Tubo period (629-842) or earlier. But generally speaking, as those discoveries were not based on scientific excavation nor systematic studies, they should not be counted as archaeology in the strict sense, let alone the protection of cultural relics, although they did provide some clues to the archaeological work in Tibet.

The peaceful liberation started a new chapter in Tibetan history, especially regarding the protection of cultural relics in the region. Over the past 40-odd years, Tibet has attracted worldwide attention in terms of its cultural relics protection, which symbolizes its social and cultural progress.