Grain-Based Drink from Ancient Qin State Found in Chinese Cemetery Vessel
Published at 15:29 on August 13
A sealed bronze container discovered in tomb M39 at the Shanjiahebao cemetery in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region has yielded 3.74 liters of a fermented grain beverage about 2,300 years old. The liquid's pale bluish-green color was preserved because the vessel remained airtight: a textile plug sealed the mouth, and an organic material on the exterior had hardened over time. Laboratory tests show the drink was fermented from grains used by inhabitants of the Qin state, providing a rare window into China's ancient brewing practices. Such liquid finds are extremely uncommon because organic matter usually breaks down, so the intact vessel makes this a particularly valuable archaeological time capsule.
Findings and Laboratory Analysis
Excavations at Shanjiahebao have so far uncovered 183 tombs, 179 of which belong to people from the Qin state era. The container holding the beverage has a neck shaped like a garlic bulb, a feature typical of Qin material culture and of vessels meant for storing alcohol. The analysis of the liquid revealed:
- more than 2,400 organic compounds;
- 100,000 starch grains;
- 8,500 yeast cells.
Broomcorn millet served as the principal ingredient, along with grains from the Triticeae group, a plant tribe that includes wheat and barley.
Researchers used infrared spectroscopy, ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry, and microscopic examination to identify the beverage. It is not a hopped beer in the modern sense; rather, it belongs to an ancient tradition of fermented cereal drinks. Tests revealed high levels of lactic acid and oxalic acid, with only a trace of tartaric acid, confirming a grain-based recipe rather than a fruit-based one. This makes the finding the best-preserved alcoholic liquid from the Qin state of the Warring States period.
In a separate development earlier in 2025, archaeologists at Egypt's Abydos necropolis announced the discovery of the world's oldest industrial-scale brewery, dating to the era of King Narmer. The brewery comprises eight structures containing dozens of vats used for heating grain and preparing beer wort. That discovery, like the one in China, highlights the deep cross-cultural roots of alcoholic beverage production in the ancient world.
The newly analyzed beverage stands as powerful evidence of early Chinese alcohol production and underscores the cultural and historical significance of the site. Detailed study of its contents and manufacturing methods may illuminate not only dietary habits but also the social dynamics of Qin-era communities. For readers worldwide, the find contributes to a broader understanding of how ancient peoples across civilizations, including Egypt, engaged with brewing and drinking as part of their shared human heritage.