Chinese Archaeologists Unearth 2,000 Year Old Wine from Han Dynasty Tomb
![Chinese Archaeologists Unearth 2,000 Year Old Wine from Han Dynasty Tomb](https://nextshark.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Tomb.jpg?width=1536&auto_optimize=medium&quality=85&blur=80)
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By Bryan Ke
Archaeologists were working on an excavation site in Luoyang, Henan when they unearthed a jar containing what appeared to be 2,000-year-old Chinese wine.
![](https://nextshark.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Excavation-1.jpg?width=1536&auto_optimize=medium&quality=85)
Scientists at the excavation site discovered a bronze-colored jar from the Western Han Dynasty tomb containing 3.5 liters of clear yellow liquid. As soon as the archaeologists opened the lid, the contents gave off a rich aroma of alcohol, according to Xinhua News Agency.
![](https://nextshark.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/excavation-2.jpg?width=1536&auto_optimize=medium&quality=85)
“It smells like wine,” said the head of Luoyang’s Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology.
![](https://nextshark.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Excavation-3.jpg?width=1536&auto_optimize=medium&quality=85)
Alcoholic beverages made from fermented rice and sorghum grains were considered traditional drinks in ancient China, according to Shanghaiist.
![](https://nextshark.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Excavation-4.jpg?width=1536&auto_optimize=medium&quality=85)
And it’s not just this one; scientists have also unearthed similar wines dating back from the Western Han Dynasty, which spanned from 202 BC to 8 AD, in other excavation sites.
![](https://nextshark.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Excavation-5.jpg?width=1536&auto_optimize=medium&quality=85)
Most of them were contained inside elaborate bronze vessels.
Images via Xinhua
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