🚨PUBLISHED🚨
My overview and analysis of *all* the archaeological evidence for wine production in pre-Roman and #Roman Italy!

A highlight thread… 🧵

Full article OPEN ACCESS in the American Journal of Archaeology: doi.org/10.1086/719697 The first attempt to combine all disparate forms of evidence in Italy, we start pre-Roman. Localised grape exploitation and experimentation probably occurred to a greater extent in Italy than historically accepted, alongside Caananite, Phoenician and Greek influence. /2

The #Pompeii Foro Boario vineyard opposite the amphitheatre is beautiful, but less known is the #Roman winemaking facility from 79 CE hidden in a small building at the back corner!

Almost always closed to the public, here’s a glimpse… 🧵 1/8 The vineyard entrance leads immediately into the small ‘cella vinaria’, with 10 ceramic dolia buried in the ground to keep a stable, cool fermentation and storage environment.
Even the specific ‘strawberry’ shape of dolia helps must circulate & aids fermentation. 2/8

There is some great evidence emerging for local Bronze Age #viticulture and winemaking on peninsular #Italy - long before the traditionally accepted “Phoenician and Greek introduction”. 🍇🍷

A #thread on recent evidence supporting local Italian expertise... 🧵 Early evidence for wild grapevine and grape consumption appears at Epigravettian and #Mesolithic Grotta del Romito (Calabria) and Torre Canne (Apulia).

Can we *please* STOP saying that #ancient #wine was far more alcoholic than modern wine, and that’s why it was watered down 😬

A #thread why... 1/ While variable, most modern dry wines typically have an alcohol concentration of 10-14%.

Ancient wines were made with wild yeast - blowing around the vineyard & found on the skins of grapes. 2/