2,300-year-old beer, well preserved inside an ancient bronze bottle, discovered in China

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.2,300-year-old beer was found inside an ancient bronze bottleThe 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 ...