2,300-year-old beer, well preserved inside an ancient bronze bottle, discovered in China
2,300-year-old beer was found inside an ancient bronze bottle The ancient drink contained more than 2,400 compounds Researchers found clues to its ancient ingredients The
2,300-year-old beer was found inside an ancient bronze bottle The ancient drink contained more than 2,400 compounds Researchers found clues to its ancient ingredients The bronze vessel may have helped preserve the drink The drink may have had a funerary purpose The discovery reveals ancient brewing practices China had an ancient tradition of alcohol production Archaeologists in China have uncovered an extraordinary alcoholic drink that remained remarkably well preserved for more than 2,000 years inside an ancient bronze bottle. The vessel, recovered from a Qin-period tomb at the Shanjiabao cemetery in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, contained about 3.74 litres of pale blue-green liquid, equivalent to nearly a gallon. Scientific analysis detected more than 2,400 organic compounds in the ancient liquid, along with starch grains, phytoliths and yeast remains. The evidence suggests that the drink was a cereal-based alcoholic beverage made from broomcorn millet, with wheat or barley also involved. The discovery offers a rare glimpse into brewing practices during China's Warring States period.The remarkable vessel was discovered in Tomb M39 at the Shanjiabao cemetery in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of north-western China. The cemetery contains 183 tombs dating to the Warring States period, which lasted from 475 to 221 BC. The findings were detailed in a study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, in which researchers from Northwest University and other institutions examined the vessel and its contents.The tomb was associated with the Qin state, which eventually unified China under Qin rule. The bronze vessel discovered inside it has a distinctive garlic-shaped mouth and is believed to have been used for storing alcoholic beverages.The research team examined the vessel's construction, contents and burial conditions to understand how the ancient liquid survived for more than two millennia.Researchers found that the bottle had been sealed with textile material on the inside and organic-tempered daub on the outside.
According to the study, this unusual sealing arrangement, combined with the relatively dry local environment and burial conditions, may have helped protect the liquid from evaporation and contamination.The quantity of liquid found inside the vessel is one of the most remarkable aspects of the discovery. The researchers recovered approximately 3.74 litres, or nearly a gallon, of liquid along with sediment. The study notes that such a large surviving volume provides an unusually valuable sample for investigating ancient alcoholic beverages.The liquid appeared clear and light blue-green and had no noticeable odour when examined. The amount is unusually large for an ancient alcoholic beverage discovery because archaeologists more commonly recover only small residues left on the walls or bottoms of ancient containers.Having several litres of surviving liquid allowed the research team to conduct detailed chemical and microscopic analyses, helping them identify compounds, plant remains and evidence of fermentation. These analyses formed the basis for reconstructing the ingredients and brewing practices associated with the ancient beverage.Scientists subjected the liquid to several forms of chemical analysis to determine its composition. Their investigation detected more than 2,400 organic compounds, which were grouped into 24 broad classes.The compounds included amino acids, fatty acids, carbohydrates and other substances associated with fermentation and plant ingredients. Researchers also detected notable quantities of lactic acid and oxalic acid.The chemical profile provided evidence that the liquid was not simply groundwater that had entered the ancient tomb. Instead, it showed characteristics consistent with a fermented alcoholic beverage.Microscopic analysis of the material provided further evidence about what the ancient drink was made from. Researchers identified starch grains associated with broomcorn millet and members of the Triticeae group, which includes wheat and barley.The findings suggest that the beverage was made using cereal grains rather than being a simple fruit-based wine.
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