2,000-year-old wine discovered in Roman tomb in Carmona, Spain
Juan Manuel Roman/University of Cordoba
Chemical analysis has revealed that a reddish liquid discovered in a 2,000-year-old Roman mausoleum in Spain is the oldest known liquid wine.
“I was shocked and couldn’t believe my eyes,” he said. Jose Rafael Luis Arebola “It was inconceivable that the liquid could remain in this state for 2,000 years,” said a researcher from the University of Cordoba in Spain.
Until now, a sealed vessel found near Speyer, Germany, believed to be around 1,700 years old, was thought to have contained the oldest known wine, but it had never been opened.
Discovered by chance in 2019 in Carmona, near Seville, the Spanish tomb dates to the 1st century AD and belonged to a wealthy family. Eight burial niches were carved into the walls and contained six urns made of limestone, sandstone, and glass. Half contained the remains of a woman, the other half of a man. Two of the urns were inscribed with the names of the deceased: “Hispanae” and “Señicio.”
One of the glass jars, encased in a lead shell, contained the skeletal remains of a 45-year-old man, a gold ring engraved with an image of the two-faced Roman god Janus, and approximately five liters of liquid.
Luis Arrebola and his team studied the composition of the reddish liquid using various methods, including liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and found that the wine had a pH value of 7.5, which is much more alkaline than normal wine and indicates advanced spoilage.
Its mineral profile was similar to that of modern sherry and fino wines from Spain, and it contained seven types of polyphenols, natural antioxidant compounds found only in wine.
Entrance to the Mausoleum of Carmona, where wine was discovered
Juan Manuel Roman/University of Cordoba
The absence of syringic acid, a compound produced by the breakdown of the main pigment in red wine, confirmed that the wine was white, presumably intended for the dead to drink on their journey to the afterlife.
“The discovery of a 2,000-year-old liquid believed to be wine in a Roman jar is unusual and an important event, providing unique insights into Roman burial practices.” David Tanasi “This shows the continuity between ancient and modern wine production,” say researchers from the University of South Florida.
Luis Arrebola plans to carry out further tests to identify any residues of microorganisms such as bacteria or yeast that may be present in the wine.
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