Jan Bartek – AncientPages.com – Scientists report an archaeological sensation in Yavne, Israel. The Antiquities Authority (IAA) announced archaeologists have unearthed the world’s largest wine factory from the Byzantine period.
The wine produced at Yavne was called in ancient times “Gaza or Ashkelon Wine” and was considered to be a high quality wine. Archaeologists explain, “The wine produced in Yavne gained international fame and reached Europe and Africa. Everyone knew that this was a product from the Holy Land and wanted more and more of this wine.
Credit: Antiquities Authority (IAA)
The wine was a white wine and named for the ports of Gaza and Ashkelon where the wine was sent for export”. liters of wine were produced for here the market every year and we should remember that the whole process was conducted by hand.”s stored, thousands of broken and intact earthen amphorae (jars), and more.
Dr. Elie Hadad, Liat Nadav-Ziv, and Dr. Jon Seligman, directors of the excavation on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority noted “we were surprised to discover a mᴀssive factory here that produced wine in commercial quanтιтies. Furthermore, decorative conch-shaped niches that adorned the winepresses indicate the great wealth of the factory owners. The production capacity of these winepresses suggested that approximately two million liters of wine were produced for here the market every year and we should remember that the whole process was conducted by hand.
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Drinking wine was very common in ancient times for adults and children alike. Since water was not always sterile or tasty, wine was also used as a kind of “concentrate” to improve the taste or as a subsтιтute for drinking water.
Written by Jan Bartek – AncientPages.com Staff Writer
