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Wine-drinking Trojans: Latest discoveries from the Bronze Age!
Researchers at the University of Tübingen confirm wine in Troy: chemical analyzes reveal the cultural significance of the drink.
Wine-drinking Trojans: Latest discoveries from the Bronze Age!
An interdisciplinary research team from the universities of Tübingen, Bonn and Jena has gained crucial insights into wine consumption in the ancient city of Troy. The investigation, based on historical discoveries by Heinrich Schliemann in the 19th century, confirms through chemical analysis that wine was indeed consumed in Troy. These results will be available next April 2025 American Journal of Archaeology published.
As part of this research, the focus was on the so-called Depas cup (depas amphikypellon), a remarkable clay drinking vessel that is between 12 and 40 centimeters high and has two handles. Over 100 of these cups were found dating from 2500 to 2000 BC. Found in Troy. Maxime Rageot from the University of Bonn conducted extensive chemical analyzes to identify the substances contained in these vessels.
Chemical evidence of the wine
The analysis involved heating the samples to 380 degrees Celsius and examining them using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. This method resulted in the detection of succinic and pyruvate acids, clearly showing that wine and not just grape juice was consumed in the cups. The present finds provide a new look at the social status of wine consumption in Troy. Until now, wine was considered a valuable drink that was reserved exclusively for the elite. However, current discoveries indicate that simple people in Troy also drank wine.
In addition, the latest biomolecular studies at the Institute for Prehistory, Early History and Medieval Archeology in Tübingen confirm that high concentrations of fruit acids are present in the cups. This clear evidence suggests that the drinkers of the cups consumed wine regularly. This raises interesting questions about the social and cultural practices of the time, as wine was previously viewed as an exclusive symbol of the wealthy class.
A look into research into wine history
The results of these studies are placed in the context of the broader discussion about the role of wine in Early Bronze Age society. In the February/March 2023 issue of the magazine “Archaeology in Germany” The topic of wine is discussed in detail. The publishers are the Association of State Archaeologists in Germany and the publishing house wbg. This issue focuses on the history of wine in Central Europe and the importance of chemical analysis methods for archaeological research.
In this publication, Philipp W. Stockhammer from the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich sheds light on the new perspective on wine drinking in prehistory and early history. Further contributions from various archaeologists deepen the discussion about the development and spread of wine over the centuries. The research is complemented by the analysis of organic materials in prehistoric vessels, such as the finds from Heuneburg, Baden-Württemberg.
Continued research at Troy and other archaeological sites may help to clarify current assumptions about wine consumption in the third millennium BCE. to revise. It will be exciting to see what further insights the coming months will bring as the analyzes of the found material continue.