Oldest Wine-Making Evidence Found in Georgia- 8000-year-old Jars Found

Scientists say that wine jars, dating back to 6000BC, have been unearthed in the villages of Gadachrili Gora and Shulaveris Gora, about 50km South of Tbilisi. 

This evidence is now the earliest example of wine making in the world, pre-dating 7000-year-old specimens in north-western Iran. 

Eight large ceramic jars were found to have residual wine compounds, researchers said. Some of the jars had images of grape bunches and of a man dancing. 

The discovery of these jars was published on Monday in the journal ‘Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)’. 

"We believe this is the oldest example of the domestication of a wild-growing Eurasian grapevine solely for the production of wine," said co-author and senior researcher Stephen Batiuk. 

"Wine is central to civilization as we know it. As a medicine, social lubricant, mind-altering substance and highly valued commodity, wine became the focus of religious cults, pharmacopoeias, cuisines, economies and society in the ancient Near East." 

Mr Batiuk said the wine was likely made in a similar way to methods used in the modern day, "where the grapes are crushed and the fruit, stems and seeds are all fermented together".

Photo source: http://www.houstonpublicmedia.org

By Tom Day