Archaeologists from the Research Center for the Preservation of Historical and Cultural Heritage at Zhengzhou University have recreated imperial wine using a replica of a 2,000-year-old bronze distiller. This discovery proves that the technology for distilling alcoholic beverages existed in China during the Western Han dynasty (206 BC – 25 AD), approximately 1,000 years earlier than previously believed by scholars.
The bronze vessel was found in the tomb of Liu He, the ninth emperor of the Western Han dynasty. It is one of the best-preserved tombs from that era.
Liu He ascended to the throne in 74 BC, but his reign was short-lived, lasting only 27 days. Due to his unworthy behavior, he was overthrown and exiled. However, his tomb, discovered in eastern China in 2011, has provided numerous fascinating artifacts to science.
Among these are the oldest known painting of Confucius and 6,000 pieces of armor made from iron, copper, and leather.
According to the renowned Chinese pharmaceutical compendium “Ben-Ciao Gan-Mu,” written by Li Shizhen, a prominent physician and pharmacologist during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), the technology of distillation has been known since the Yuan dynasty (1279–1368).
The team created a replica of the bronze distiller found in the wine chamber of the tomb, as reported by Arkeonews. It consisted of three parts: the main pot, known as the “heavenly pot,” a cylindrical vessel, and a boiler.
The replica of the distiller was made at a scale of 1:2 of the original. To test the functionality of the device, the team used liquid raw materials such as beer and yellow wine. The scientists achieved quite impressive results: the distillation efficiency exceeded 70 percent, and the taste and alcohol concentration of the beverages were preserved.