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For thousands of years, alcohol has been a staple in human culture. Scholars argue that its discovery might have driven the transition from nomadic lifestyles to agricultural societies. Serving as a social enhancer, medicinal remedy, or even a tool for political influence, alcohol remains one of humanity's most significant consumables throughout history.
10. World’s Oldest Alcohol
In China, archaeologists have uncovered the world's earliest proof of alcohol consumption. Through chemical analysis of ancient pottery fragments, it was determined that people in China were drinking alcoholic beverages as far back as 7000 BC. The pottery contained residues of a drink made from rice, honey, and fruit.
The Jihua pottery contained traces of tartrates, a chemical linked to grapes and hawthorn trees. These ingredients, along with honey, would have supplied the necessary sugars and yeast for fermentation. Given that Jihua is the site of China's oldest pottery finds, it is likely that brewing traditions predate even these discoveries. Unfortunately, containers made of leather or wood, which might have held earlier alcoholic drinks, have not survived to the present day.
9. Wines Of The Scorpion King
Deep within the tomb of Pharaoh Scorpion I, researchers unearthed the oldest wine in Egypt, dating back 5,000 years. This ancient drink was infused with natural remedies, including tree resins and herbs such as coriander, sage, and mint. While some ingredients enhanced the flavor, others possessed healing properties. Alcohol serves as an effective medium for dissolving plant alkaloids, making it an ideal vehicle for delivering medicinal compounds. Although Egyptian medicinal wines were previously documented in papyri from 1850 BC, this discovery pushes the timeline back by over a thousand years.
Scorpion’s wines are so ancient that they were produced before Egyptian vineyards existed. These beverages were imported from the Jordan River valley. The practice of blending medicine with alcohol wasn’t exclusive to Egypt; evidence suggests that ancient Chinese cultures also engaged in therapeutic brewing.
8. Ancient Antibiotic Beer
Researchers examining the bones of ancient Nubians stumbled upon a startling find: traces of tetracycline were present in the skeletal remains. It is believed that this ancient antibiotic was consumed through beer. The theory suggests that the grains used for brewing were contaminated with Streptomycedes, a bacteria that produces tetracycline. Since the Nubians stored their brewing grains in mud containers and Streptomycedes thrives in dry, soil-rich environments, this contamination was highly likely.
Over 90% of the analyzed remains showed traces of tetracycline, including those of children as young as two years old. The ancient Nubians resided along the Nile River, in what is now Sudan, and likely adopted the practice of medicinal brewing from their Egyptian neighbors. This tetracycline-laced beer may have protected them from bone diseases, as no signs of infections were found in the remains.
7. Pre-Incan Partiers
In 2004, a team from Chicago’s Field Museum uncovered an ancient brewery in the highlands of southern Peru. The pre-Incan Wari elite produced a corn-based beer called chica on an industrial scale over 1,000 years ago. With the discovery of multiple 15-gallon brewing vats, experts estimate the Wari could have manufactured thousands of liters of chica daily.
The brewery was found during the excavation of Cerro Baul, a site located nearly two miles above sea level that once housed around 2,000 people. Scholars suggest that chica consumption played a crucial role in Wari political life. Leaders from distant regions of the empire were invited to Cerro Baul to participate in large-scale drinking ceremonies. Chica likely served as a unifying force, bridging cultural and linguistic divides.
6. Teotihuacan Nutrient Boost
Archaeologists discovered traces of a milky alcoholic beverage on ancient pottery fragments in Teotihuacan. Experts suggest this drink, likely pulque, supplied essential nutrients to the residents of one of the largest ancient cities. Food shortages were common in this pre-Columbian metropolis, and murals depict people consuming pulque, a fermented drink made from agave sap. Unlike tequila, which is derived from the roasted core of the agave plant, pulque is made directly from the sap.
Teotihuacan, spanning eight square miles and home to 100,000 people, was the largest city in pre-Columbian America. Corn was the primary crop, but its cultivation was challenging due to limited groundwater and unpredictable rainfall. Additionally, corn lacks several essential nutrients. Agave, on the other hand, is more resilient to drought and cold. Pulque would have provided crucial nutrients such as iron, calcium, B vitamins, and probiotics to the city’s inhabitants.
5. Zagros Mountain Ale
In 1992, researchers unearthed evidence of 3,500 BC beer at the Sumerian trading post of Godin Tepe in the Zagros Mountains. The discovery of calcium oxalate indicates the brewing of barley beer, supported by the presence of barley grains in nearby containers. The large number of storage jars suggests Godin Tepe was a bustling trade hub and military stronghold along what would later become the Silk Road.
The Sumerians, among the earliest civilizations to establish a sophisticated, literate society, thrived on trade and irrigation-based agriculture. Beer was a beloved beverage in their culture, often depicted in Sumerian art as communal gatherings where people drank from large bowls using long straws. The pictogram for beer is one of the most frequently encountered symbols in Sumerian archaeological sites.
4. Oldest European Wine
In 2013, researchers discovered the oldest evidence of European alcohol in Greece. The 6,200-year-old wine residue was found in ancient pottery from the Dikili Tash prehistoric site. Analysis confirmed the presence of tartaric acid, a key indicator of fermentation. This discovery surpassed the previous record of 6,100-year-old wine from Armenia.
Little is known about the people of Dikili Tash, as recent excavations only allowed access to the settlement’s deepest layers. The role of alcohol in this prehistoric society remains unclear. The same team that identified the ancient wine residue also uncovered potential evidence of even older winemaking. During the excavation of a Neolithic house dating back to 4,500 BC, they found carbonized grape seeds with skins, indicating grape pressing.
3. Canaanite Wine Cellar
The oldest wine cellar in the Middle East, located in modern-day Israel, contained 40 large pottery jars used for storing alcoholic beverages. Measuring 16 by 26 feet, the facility could hold up to 500 gallons of wine. Experts suggest these ancient wines were quite different from today’s varieties, often preserved and flavored with resins and herbs such as mint, myrtle, and juniper. The result would have been similar to Greek retsina, but with a taste reminiscent of cough syrup.
The wine cellar was uncovered at the Tel Kabri site in northern Israel. Dating back to 1700 BC, the palace belonged to the Canaanites, who ruled over Israel and Lebanon. While ancient texts mentioned spiced and herbal wines, none had been found until this discovery. Around 1600 BC, a massive earthquake destroyed Tel Kabri, collapsing the cellar and preserving it for thousands of years.
2. Iron Age Brew
In an ancient Swabian burial site, researchers uncovered a bronze cauldron containing traces of a 2,500-year-old alcoholic beverage. The cauldron, which held 14 liters of the drink, was likely intended to help the deceased gain favor with the gods in the afterlife. Analysis showed the Iron Age brew was made from barley, yeast, honey, meadowsweet, and mint.
No human remains were found in the grave, likely due to the acidic soil breaking down all organic material. Grave artifacts, including an iron sword, helmet, and two spears, indicate the tomb belonged to a high-ranking warrior. The ancient recipe was recreated at Milwaukee’s Lakefront Brewery, resulting in an 8% alcohol beverage similar to a dry port. However, the taste was deemed unsuitable for commercial production.
1. Scandinavian Spirits
Researchers recently discovered a 3,500-year-old Scandinavian woman buried with a bronze strainer used for alcohol. Chemical tests showed the ancient drink was a mix of barley, honey, cranberry, herbs, and imported southern wine. While earlier studies of Scandinavian drinking vessels found pollen traces hinting at honey-based mead, the exact ingredients remained unclear until now.
This discovery led scientists to re-examine older Scandinavian artifacts using modern techniques. They identified the oldest alcohol evidence in a jar from a warrior’s grave, containing only honey remnants, suggesting it once held pure mead. In the 1920s, the “Egtved Girl,” an ancient priestess, was found with a jar of grog at her feet. Wine-making tools, imported from southern Europe, were mostly found in female graves, indicating that Nordic women likely handled brewing.
