A groundbreaking study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals that early rice domestication in Neolithic China expanded in parallel with the practice of alcohol fermentation. This new research connects the origins of rice cultivation to the Shangshan culture in the lower Yangzi River region, offering insights into the social processes behind early rice domestication.
Led by Li Liu, Jianping Zhang, and their team, the study examined microfossil remains—phytoliths, starch granules, and fungi—found in 12 pottery sherds excavated from the earliest deposits at a Shangshan archaeological site. These deposits date back to approximately 10,000–9,000 years ago. Researchers analyzed both the residues from the interior surfaces of these ancient ceramics and plant materials embedded within the clay itself to uncover the earliest evidence of rice’s use.
The findings indicate that domesticated rice was not only used as a staple crop but also for brewing fermented beverages. This early brewing process involved a qu starter containing Monascus mold and yeast, which acted as fermentation agents. According to the researchers, the warm, humid climate of the early Holocene Epoch likely supported the growth of these fungi, contributing to the fermentation process.
In addition to rice, other ingredients such as Job’s tears grains, grasses from the Panicoideae and Triticeae families, acorns, and lilies were used in brewing. This mixture represents the earliest known alcohol fermentation technique in East Asia, according to the study.
The authors suggest that these alcoholic rice beverages likely held ritualistic significance and may have been a key driver in the spread of rice cultivation in Neolithic China. These findings underscore a fascinating connection between early agricultural practices, social rituals, and the development of fermentation technologies.
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