从平底瓶到尖底瓶--黄河中游新石器时期酿酒器的演化和酿酒方法的传承

根据以往的类型学分析,仰韶文化的小口尖底瓶是从小口平底瓶发展而来,而后者的前身是小口鼓腹罐。近年来多项研究已经证明尖底瓶和鼓腹罐都是酒器,但不清楚平底瓶是否也具有酿酒功能。为了回答这一问题,我们对陕西临潼零口遗址出土的20件零口期平底瓶和半坡期尖底瓶陶片进行了残留物分析,发现具有酿酒发酵特征的淀粉粒、谷物颖壳和植物茎叶及花序的植硅体,以及酵母细胞,证明这两种器物都是酒器。酿酒方法是以发芽的黍、稻谷和野生小麦族作为糖化剂来酿造谷芽酒;最主要的原料是黍,同时也包括粟、薏苡、水稻、小麦族、野豌豆、栝楼根、芡实及姜;另外还加入一些植物茎叶及花序。加入植物块根、茎叶和花序的目的,也许是利用其药用功能。使用芦苇吸管咂酒可能是当时饮酒的方法之一。零口陶器的分析结果有助于研究黄河中游地区新石器时代早、中期酒器器形的演化以及酿酒方法的传承。

From the Conical-Baseamphorae to the Flat-Base Amphorae

According to previous typological analysis,jiandiping,the conical-base amphorae,of the Yangshao culture were developed from pingdiping,the flat-base amphorae,which were in turn derived from globular jars.Recent studies have proved that globular jars and conical-base amphora were brewing vessels,but it is unclear whether flat-base amphorae also had brewing functions.In order to answer this question,we carried out residue analysis on 20 flat-base and conical-base amphorae unearthed from the Lingkou site in Lintong,Shaanxi.We identified starch granules with characteristics of fermentation,phytoliths from cereal husks,as well as yeast cells,together suggesting that both types of pottery were brewing vessels.Ancient people used germinated broomcorn millet,rice and wild Triticeae seeds as a saccharifying agent to make alcoholic beverages;the main ingredients include millets,rice,wild Triticeae,wild pea,snake gourd root,foxnut and ginger.Some plant stems/leaves and inflorescences were also added,perhaps to utilize their medicinal properties.Using reed straws to sip alcohol may have been one of the ways to drink at that time.These results shed new light on the long tradition of alcohol production and consumption in the Neolithic Yellow River region.