Researchers in China have discovered a large bottle containing an alcoholic drink that has been sealed for over 2,200 years. The find was made in a bronze vessel located in a Qin tomb at the Shanjiabao cemetery in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. The findings were published in the June issue of the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports.
The tomb dates back to the Warring States period (475-221 B.C.), a time characterized by rival kingdoms prior to China's unification. The preserved liquid has been identified as an ancient cereal-based alcoholic beverage, which is sometimes described as beer. The bottle contained approximately 3,740 milliliters (3.74 liters) of preserved liquid, which is notable compared to other recent discoveries that only found residue from ancient drinks.
Ruru Chen, a researcher at Northwest University's School of Cultural Heritage in Xi'an, China, expressed surprise at both the volume and the exceptional preservation of the liquid. The beverage was found to be brewed primarily from broomcorn millet, with contributions from wheat and/or barley. Researchers identified high concentrations of lactic and oxalic acids, along with other organic compounds consistent with ancient cereal-based alcoholic beverages.
Chen noted that the preservation of the liquid may be attributed to the dry local environment, the sealing method of the bronze vessel, and the burial conditions. The researchers aim to investigate further to understand why the liquid survived so well over the millennia. This discovery could lead to increased interest in the study of ancient Chinese alcoholic beverages and traditional brewing techniques.