The excavation of Tuyuhun-Tubo (Tibetan) elite graves at Dulan and Delingha in the modern province of Qinghai has necessitated a rewriting of the history of the Silk Road of the north-western China, especially during the 5th-8th centuries AD. This work analyses the history and archaeological evidence reflecting the Han Chinese, Tuyuhun and Tibetan domination of the northern Tibetan Plateau, on which the Qinghai Silk Road features. The study focuses on the Tuyuhun-Tubo cemeteries and artefacts, including silks, gold and silver objects, coffin paintings and other significant findings made during the past decades. The result gives fresh insights into the complicated cultural dimensions and interactions along the Silk Road, which contributed greatly to the shaping of the Tibetan culture.