Ancient Chinese Storage Techniques
The oldest examples of storage facilities in ancient China date to the Neolithic Yangshao period, which lasted from 5000 to 4000 BC. Archaeological digs along the Yellow River have uncovered a prototypical storage company: granaries built on four or more posts, to keep grain off the cold, damp ground.
The Yangshao also crafted pottery, with artisans producing white, red and black painted pots, bowls and vases with human, animal and geometric designs. Through excavations, it was discovered that some of these vessels contained the bodies of children.
Human-faced fish decoration bowl from the Yangshao period
The Shan Dynasty
During the Shan Dynasty, which lasted from 1600 to 1046 BC, underground storage facilities were used to store ice. The facilities were called “ling yin”, which translates roughly as “cool place for ice”. The ice was used by the wealthy to chill various foods and drinks. It was also used to preserve royal corpses.
Remnants of these cellars have been found in what are today the Qin and Han states of China. In the largest of the cellars, up to 190 square meters of ice could have been stored at one time.
The Zhou Dynasty
Examples of more advanced storage methods come from the Zhou dynasty, which lasted from 1046 to 256 BC. During the Zhou Dynasty, boxes made of copper or bronze were used to store ice, for cooling the drinking water of wealthy aristocrats. Some wax castings have been discovered, pointing to the method used to create these boxes.
Ritual vessel from the Zhou Dynasty
Another particularly interesting archaeological discovery was made in the region of the Zhou Dynasty. Dating back further than 3000 years, archaeologists discovered incredibly well-preserved fruit, grass and vegetable seeds. The pit in which the seeds were stored was square-shaped with slightly rounded walls. It had four round holes in its base, from which supporting beams had been placed to hold up straw and grass “ceilings”. The discovery included roughly 500 almonds, and over 1000 seeds and kernels. Melon, Prunus and two kinds of Setaria plant seeds were found, as well as millet seeds, grass seeds, and other plant remains. They were so well preserved that they had not been carbonized, and some of them looked as if they were still fresh enough to be planted.
This find suggests that the government could store surplus food and distribute it in times of need, such as during winters, a year with a bad harvest or perhaps if a city was under siege.
