Alcohol in Complex Society in Northwest China : A case study from the Mogou site (1800-1200BC)

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Research in recent years has substantiated the prevalent presence and utilization of cereal-based fermented beverages in prehistoric China. In this study, residue analysis was applied to pottery artifacts excavated from the Mogou site, which dates to approximately between 1800 BC and 1200 BC in Gansu Province, northwest China. By comparing these ancient residues with modern reference samples, we established the existence of rice beer. Through an examination of starch content, our investigation unveiled that the recipe for this alcohol primarily employed red mold qu starter as the fermenting agent, with rice serving as the principal ingredient, and possibly root plants as supplementary components. Moreover, our findings divulged the sustained consumption of rice beer over a substantial period at the Mogou site, even in the face of changing pottery styles. It is highly plausible that this rice beer held a pivotal role in both daily routines and ritualistic practices, evolving into a tradition that persisted through different eras.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 40118.0