Identification of 10,000-year-old rice beer at Shangshan in the Lower Yangzi River valley of China

Abstract

The Shangshan culture in ancient China's Lower Yangzi region is central to understanding the origins of rice domestication and early alcohol fermentation. To address these issues, we used various methods to study artifacts from the early phase of the Shangshan site, dating back to ca. 10,000 to 9,000 y ago. By analyzing microscopic remains, including phytoliths, starch granules, and fungi, associated with pottery vessels, we found evidence suggesting that the Shangshan people not only used rice as a staple food but also as a raw material for brewing fermented beverages, marking the earliest known alcohol fermentation technique in East Asia. These alcoholic drinks likely played a significant role in ceremonies, possibly encouraging the widespread cultivation of rice in ancient China.