The Upper Xiajiadian culture emerged out of local Ancient Northeast Asian-derived tribes of hunter-gatherers and early farmers, which shifted to a pastoralist lifestyle.

Upper Xiajiadian bronzes were decorated with animal and natural motifs, which suggest possible Saka (Scythian) affinities and indicate continued cultural contact and exchange across the Eurasian steppes.

From relying on pigs to a dependence on sheep and goats for its primary source of domesticated protein, the culture built more extravagant graves for its elites than the Lower Xiajiadian, with more numerous and elaborate burial offerings.

Genetic analyses of remains from the Upper Xiajiadian culture (UXC) are primarily of Ancient Northern East Asian origin and similar to "West Liao River farmers" (WLR_BA).

[14] One UXC individual, however, shared higher genetic affinities to earlier "Amur hunter-gatherers", later Xianbei remains as well as contemporary Tungusic-speaking peoples, suggesting him to be a recent migrant from further North.

The Upper Xiajiadian genome may point to migrations from the north Eurasian steppes and the Amur region during the Bronze Age period.