| Abstract: |
Archaeological research in China has shown that the origin and dispersal of alcohol-related technologies were closely associated with Neolithization in the Yellow and Yangzi River regions. However, comparable evidence from the southeastern coast remains limited, constraining our understanding of how fermentation practices spread across coastal zones. This study presents microfossil residue analyses of pottery vessels from the Xiying shell midden site, the earliest known Neolithic settlement on Pingtan Island, Fujian. The results reveal the exploitation of diverse starchy plants, including rice, millet, Triticeae, foxnut, taro, yam, and ginger. Combined evidence from starch morphology, enzymatic damage patterns, and associated fungal remains—particularly Monascus and yeast—suggests the production of fermented alcoholic beverages. These were likely produced using a qu-based fermentation method centered on rice, with additional inputs from millet, seeds, and tubers. This study provides the earliest evidence for fermented beverages in South China and suggests that fermentation practices formed part of a broader coastal subsistence system. The presence of a rice-millet-based brewing tradition suggests that such technologies may have reached Pingtan through maritime interaction networks along China's eastern seaboard by ca. 7000 BP.
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