Israeli archaeologists uncover traces of an ancient winemaking industry

Unearthing the remnants of an ancient winemaking industry that thrived over 1,500 years ago, archaeologists conducting excavations in Israel's Negev Desert have made a remarkable discovery. Through genetic analysis, they have identified two ancient grape varieties that thrived in the region's hot and arid climate. This finding has sparked the hopes of Israel's budding wine industry, as they aspire to create wines that embody the rich history of the region.

Professor Guy Bar-Oz, a bioarchaeologist at the School of Archaeology and Maritime Cultures at the University of Haifa, initiated his excavations in the area in 2015 and began exploring the Avdat archaeological site in 2018. His objective was to unravel the reasons behind the abandonment of the region by its inhabitants 1,500 years ago. During their initial excavations in ancient landfills, Bar-Oz and his team were astonished by the abundance of grape seeds they uncovered.

The ancient city of Avdat, also known as Abdah in Arabic, was founded in the 1st century BC by the Nabateans, a people who ruled parts of what are now Israel, Jordan, and Syria. The Nabateans are renowned for their construction of the ancient city of Petra, their capital, and they were neighbors to ancient Judea. Avdat held a crucial position between Petra and Gaza, serving as a hub along a spice trade route. Subsequently, the Nabatean lands were absorbed by the Roman and Byzantine empires. The region thus shares deep ties with our collective winemaking heritage.

By the 6th century AD, the population inhabiting Avdat spoke Greek and practiced Christianity. They resided at the eastern edge of the vast Byzantine Empire, which controlled much of the lands bordering the Mediterranean Sea. The fertile lands of Gaza were dedicated to agriculture, and these vintners had access to the empire's trade routes and the kingdoms of what is now Western Europe. Furthermore, their fortunes were augmented by the fact that Jerusalem was a highly visited pilgrimage site, attracting visitors from around the world. In other words, it was a thriving market for wine.

Compelling evidence points to the existence of a thriving wine industry in the region. Archaeologists have uncovered large wine presses, remnants of pressed grapes, pigeon towers strategically placed to provide guano for vine fertilization, traces of irrigation systems—everything necessary for flourishing viticulture in a challenging environment.

"They didn't have enough water, so they built water systems to collect it during the winter," said Dr. Meirav Meiri, Curator of Bioarchaeology and Head of the Ancient DNA Laboratory for Animals and Plants at the Steinhardt Museum in Tel Aviv, who worked on the research. "From these sites, we can see that the people who lived there knew how to make the most of what they had to lead successful lives."

The researchers decided to delve deeper into the grape remains they had discovered. "We wanted to know which varieties they cultivated," Meiri explained. "Did they bring them from other parts of the Byzantine Empire or Europe, or were they local varieties?"

In recent decades, the Negev region has become a trendy place to cultivate vineyards, albeit with international grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon. The ancient grape varieties have been lost.

The archaeological team collected grape seeds from three sites and employed targeted enrichment genomic sequencing and radiocarbon dating to determine the lineage of the grapes. They also sequenced modern indigenous cultivars, as well as wild and feral grapes collected throughout Israel.

Their findings revealed that Byzantine farmers cultivated numerous genetically diverse grape varieties in mixed-field plantations. "Perhaps this diversity in the vineyards was a strategy for food security," explained Bar-Oz. Different varieties may have been more resistant to diseases or drought, ripened at different times, or, as Bar-Oz noted, "If they all ripen on the same day, you'll have trouble getting them to the wine press."

Two grape seeds held particular interest. A33 is a direct relative, likely a parent-child relationship, of the modern Lebanese grape Asswad Karech, also known as Syriki in Greece. "It's incredible," Meiri remarked. "It has many names, but it's the same variety, and it still grows in the region, just not in Israel."

Another seed, A32, is the oldest identified white wine grape variety to date. Some experts believe it may be linked to the legendary white wine of Gaza. There are literary references from 5th and 6th-century Europe praising the quality of a sweet white wine known as Vinum Gazum or the wine of Gaza. The wine was recognized for its port of origin, and the amphorae used to transport the wine would have been unique to the region.

However, experts are uncertain about where the traders of Gaza sourced their wine. Avdat lay on the trade route to Gaza, and the port would have been a two-day journey from the vineyards of Negev. Archaeologists know that export wine was transported in elongated amphorae, easily stackable for shipment by sea. Wine for local and regional consumption was stored in smaller, round containers. Significant quantities of Gaza amphora fragments have been found in Western Europe and the British Isles. But after the 6th century, this luxurious elixir disappears from historical records.

Seed A32 was discovered in a sealed room in a Byzantine monastery dating back to the 8th century. This falls after the peak of Gaza's wine production, which mysteriously ceased two hundred years earlier. Christian monasteries persisted and continued producing wine for their own consumption. Could it be possible that the monks managed to preserve the famous wine of Gaza throughout centuries of political, economic, and social upheaval?

Evidence reveals that winemakers enjoyed a thriving economy for two centuries, only to suddenly decline. Yet, the reason behind the collapse of this flourishing wine industry remains a mystery.

"By looking at the way the houses were built, we could see that they intended to stay forever, but something went wrong," Bar-Oz pondered. "What happened?"

One theory blames the Muslim conquest around 640 AD, but carbon dating reveals that wine production had significantly dwindled over 100 years prior. Archaeologists found that houses had been meticulously sealed with stones, as if their owners intended to protect them until their return.

Two other theories were explored: climate change and pestilence. However, based on the evidence uncovered at the three sites, neither seems to have led to the collapse of this wine-centric society. The likely cause was economic. It was a time of turmoil, and the eastern territories of the empire, reliant on Byzantine globalization, may have lost their export markets, leading to a collapse in the local economy. "The facts tell a complex story," Bar-Oz concluded.

Yet, it may soon be possible to taste an authentic Negev wine made from ancient grapes, perhaps even the legendary white wine of Gaza. A research grant has aided the propagation of these two ancient grape varieties, allowing them to be planted in five acres of the Negev Highlands, bringing Byzantine-era vineyards into the 21st century. The researchers plan to begin planting the vineyard in September.

As the legacy of an ancient vinicultural industry emerges from the desert sands, the revival of these historic grape varieties holds the promise of a truly unique experience, blending the flavors of the past with the innovations of the present. The story of Negev's winemaking heritage continues to unfold, offering a captivating glimpse into the intersection of ancient civilizations and the timeless art of winemaking.