Ancientist reports archaeological research from Phanagoria, where the Institute of Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences has identified five wine-production facilities, around 60 large fermentation vessels and associated warehouses and shops in an ancient commercial district close to the Black Sea port. The largest excavated winery is estimated to have produced roughly 30 tonnes of wine annually, while the pithoi used during fermentation could each contain about 600 to 800 litres. Crushing platforms coated with water-resistant mortar, fermentation vessels, amphorae and evidence of sulphur being burned inside containers for sanitation provide unusually detailed physical evidence for organised ancient winemaking, storage and distribution. Researchers now plan chemical and biological analysis of recovered material to investigate the composition of the wines and potentially identify grape varieties.
Historic
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Roman Shipwreck With 500 Amphorae Discovered off Sicily
The Drinks Business reports that a Roman-era shipwreck carrying roughly 500 amphorae has been discovered off Mazara del Vallo in western Sicily, about five kilometres offshore and 46 metres beneath the surface. The vessel is thought to date from between the second and first centuries BC, with the concentration of transport amphorae offering archaeologists potentially valuable evidence about Mediterranean commerce, including the movement of wine and other agricultural goods during the Roman Republic. Italian authorities are now documenting and protecting the wreck while further investigation seeks to establish the cargo’s origin and destination.