Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305;
Stanford Archaeology Center, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2019 Jun 25;116(26):12767-12774. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1902668116. Epub 2019 Jun 3.
In China, pottery containers first appeared about 20000 cal. BP, and became diverse in form during the Early Neolithic (9000-7000 cal. BP), signaling the emergence of functionally specialized vessels. China is also well-known for its early development of alcohol production. However, few studies have focused on the connections between the two technologies. Based on the analysis of residues (starch, phytolith, and fungus) adhering to pottery from two Early Neolithic sites in north China, here we demonstrate that three material changes occurring in the Early Neolithic signal innovation of specialized alcoholic making known in north China: () the spread of cereal domestication (millet and rice), () the emergence of dedicated pottery types, particularly globular jars as liquid storage vessels, and () the development of cereal-based alcohol production with at least two fermentation methods: the use of cereal malts and the use of moldy grain and herbs ( and ) as starters. The latter method was arguably a unique invention initiated in China, and our findings account for the earliest known examples of this technique. The major ingredients include broomcorn millet, Triticeae grasses, Job's tears, rice, beans, snake gourd root, ginger, possible yam and lily, and other plants, some probably with medicinal properties (e.g., ginger). Alcoholic beverages made with these methods were named , , and in ancient texts, first recorded in the Shang oracle-bone inscriptions (ca. 3200 cal. BP); our findings have revealed a much deeper history of these diverse fermentation technologies in China.
在中国，陶器容器最早出现在约 20000 cal. BP，在新石器时代早期（9000-7000 cal. BP）形式多样，标志着功能专业化容器的出现。中国也以早期发展酒精生产而闻名。然而，很少有研究关注这两种技术之间的联系。基于对中国北方两个新石器时代遗址陶器残留物（淀粉、植硅体和真菌）的分析，我们证明了在新石器时代早期发生的三个物质变化标志着中国北方专门的酒精生产技术的创新：（）谷物驯化（小米和水稻）的传播，（）专用陶器类型的出现，特别是作为液体储存容器的球形罐，以及（）以谷物为基础的酒精生产的发展，至少有两种发酵方法：使用谷物麦芽和使用霉变谷物和草药（和）作为发酵剂。后一种方法可以说是中国首创的独特发明，我们的发现解释了这种技术最早的已知例子。主要成分包括黍、禾本科草、薏苡、大米、豆类、蛇瓜根、姜、可能的山药和百合，以及其他植物，有些可能具有药用价值（例如，姜）。用这些方法酿造的酒精饮料在古代文献中被命名为、和，最早记录在商代甲骨文（约 3200 cal. BP）中；我们的发现揭示了这些在中国多样化发酵技术的更悠久历史。
