ARMENIA

Around the World May 1, 2011

At the cave complex that held the world's oldest shoe ("World Roundup," September/October 2010), archaeologists have discovered the oldest known wine-making facility.
SHARE:

ARMENIA: At the cave complex that held the world's oldest shoe ("World Roundup," September/October 2010), archaeologists have discovered the oldest known wine-making facility. First, they found a sloped platform with elevated edges containing the remains of crushed grapes—a wine press. Below that was a fermentation vat, along with more dried grapes, seeds, and vines. The winery is surrounded by human burials, suggesting that the drink made there was for ritual purposes. Hey, oenophiles—biochemical analysis shows it was a red.

  • Features January/February 2025

    Dancing Days of the Maya

    In the mountains of Guatemala, murals depict elaborate performances combining Catholic and Indigenous traditions

    Read Article
    Photograph by R. Słaboński
  • Features November/December 2024

    Let the Games Begin

    How gladiators in ancient Anatolia lived to entertain the masses

    Read Article
    © Tolga İldun
  • Features November/December 2024

    The Many Faces of the Kingdom of Shu

    Thousands of fantastical bronzes are beginning to reveal the secrets of a legendary Chinese dynasty

    Read Article
    Courtesy Sichuan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology
  • Features September/October 2024

    Ancient DNA Revolution

    How the rapidly evolving field of archaeogenetics is unlocking secrets of the past

    Read Article
    Great Rift Valley, Ethiopia
    AdobeStock/lucaar