Archeologists discovered an ancient site in China where they believe beer was consumed in ceremonies honoring the dead some 9,000 years ago.
The research team discovered ceramic vessels at a site in southeast China where two human skeletons were located, Gizmodo.com reported in a piece published Wednesday. (RELATED: 13-Beer Tribute To Fallen Marines Sweeps Bars Across The US)
After further investigation of the microfossil residue in the pots, traces of ancient crud—starches, fossilized plant residue, and fungal remains were discovered inside the long-necked Hu vessels indicating it had held alcohol, the outlet noted.
9,000-year-old evidence of beer drinking in China. Plos one article includes plenty of context about early booze use in China.https://t.co/zr9Mid9akV#alcoholhistory #ancientbrews #worldbaijiuday pic.twitter.com/Vp271QHgIK
— World Baijiu Day (@worldbaijiuday) September 1, 2021
“Our results revealed that the pottery vessels were used to hold beer, in its most general sense—a fermented beverage made of rice (Oryza sp.), a grain called Job’s tears (Coix lacryma-jobi), and unidentified tubers,” Jiajing Wang, an archaeologist at Dartmouth College and lead author of the study, shared in a press release in an August report.
Beer Was Drunk in China 9,000 Years Ago, But It Likely Wasn’t For Recreationhttps://t.co/9v1na8fNnX
— ScienceAlert (@ScienceAlert) September 2, 2021
“This ancient beer though would not have been like the IPA that we have today,” the release added. “Instead, it was likely a slightly fermented and sweet beverage, which was probably cloudy in color.”
“We don’t know how people made the mold 9,000 years ago, as fermentation can happen naturally,” Wang continued. “If people had some leftover rice and the grains became moldy, they may have noticed that the grains became sweeter and alcoholic with age. While people may not have known the biochemistry associated with grains that became moldy, they probably observed the fermentation process and leveraged it through trial and error.” (RELATED: Heineken To Cut 8,000 Jobs Due To Pandemic, Taking Steps To ‘Move Beyond Beer’)
While the beer vessels at the Qiaotou site are impressive, the report noted it is not the oldest discovery of the liquid gold. Beer has been found at sites in Turkey and Israel that are more than 10,000 years old.