Archaeologists have discovered a pot containing a 2,300-year-old grain-based alcoholic drink from the Warring States Period (475 BC-221 BC) in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, offering new insights into ancient Chinese brewing technology.
The discovery was made at the Shanjiabu cemetery in the city of Guyuan, built by the Qin State during the Warring States Period.
Researchers found the liquid preserved inside a bronze garlic-bulb-shaped pot, a distinctive vessel from the Qin State, according to the regional department of culture and tourism.
Through a combination of archaeological research and advanced scientific analysis, researchers confirmed that the 3,740 milliliters of liquid extracted from the vessel was a grain-based alcoholic beverage produced during the Warring States Period.
"We extracted 3,740 milliliters of liquid from this bronze pot. After testing, we've determined it's a type of grain wine from the Qin State," said Wang Xiaoyang, project lead for the Guyuan Shanjiabu Cemetery site at the Ningxia Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology.
The sample is believed to be China's best-preserved liquid alcohol relic from the era publicly reported to date, filling a gap in archaeological research on ancient brewing in Ningxia.
The cemetery is located near the Great Wall built by the Qin State during the Warring States Period, with 183 tombs excavated as of 2024.
The bronze vessel has a dual sealing structure lined with textile fabrics and coated with organic mud. The sophisticated seal blocked external contaminants, allowing the ancient liquor to survive for more than two millennia, archaeologists said.
To uncover the drink's ingredients and brewing process, a joint research team from the Ningxia Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology and the School of Cultural Heritage at Northwest University conducted detailed tests using technologies including infrared spectroscopy, ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and microscopic analysis of starch grains, phytoliths and yeast microfossils.
The analysis identified 24 categories of compounds, including organic acids, amino acids and carbohydrates. Researchers found that the organic acid profile matched that of artificially aged rice liquor, confirming the liquid as a fermented grain-based alcohol.
Further examination showed that wheat and barley starch grains in the sample had been processed through grinding, heating and microbial degradation.
The findings indicate that Qin people had already mastered the use of grain-based fermentation starters, allowing saccharification and fermentation to occur simultaneously, which is a sign of advanced brewing skills.
Researchers said the discovery provides physical evidence of the sophistication of ancient Chinese grain fermentation and offers valuable clues for studying agriculture, food culture and craftsmanship during the pre-Qin period, which refers to the period before the Qin Dynasty (221 BC-207 BC) was established.
2,300-year-old liquor unearthed in China's Ningxia
