Chalcolithic wine jars
Dublin Core
Title
Chalcolithic wine jars
Alternative Title
Χαλκολιθικά δοχεία κρασιού
Subject
Description
Chalcolithic Wine Jars and the History of Wine in Cyprus
Since antiquity, grapes have been one of the most famous agricultural products and foodstuffs of Cyprus, as well as one of the basic nutritional elements of the Cypriot diet. The vine has been cultivated on the island since ancient times, while it is still widely cultivated on the island more than any kind of fruit. Viticulture constitutes almost one quarter of the agricultural population, while a large proportion of their income derives from the vines. The famous Wine Villages (“Krasochoria”) of Cyprus – fourteen areas in Limassol, Paphos and Troodos, where inhabitants are exclusively engaged to vine planting and wine-making – constitute the core of vinification of Cyprus since antiquity. However, it is difficult to make any assumptions concerning the time and the circumstances under which the plant was brought to cultivation. It is likely that its cultivation is closely related to the knowledge of turning the fruit of the vine into wine.
Wine is not only related to the nutrition or the economy of the island. Given that some of the equipment, recipes, techniques, and processes used to make wine (such as the traditional Commandaria) and zivania (another traditional grape-related beverage), as well as deserts, such as palouzes and soutzoukos, have been handed down for thousands of years, it is clear that wine constitutes a very important part of the cultural heritage – both tangible and intangible - of Cyprus, totally connected with the traditions, the art and the religion of the island.
The famous Cypriot Wine
The Cypriot wine became famous since antiquity while poets and historians, such as Homer, Stasinus, Pliny, Strabo, and others, sang the praises for its high quality and its sweet flavour. As early as 1100 B.C. the epic poet Homer refers to the Cypriot wine, while the great poet Hesiod in his book “Works and Days”, written around 800 B.C., describes its production in detail. Pliny highlights the importance of wine in antiquity in a simple statement (xiv. 150): ‘There are two liquids most pleasant to human bodies, wine inside and (olive) oil outside’. Furthermore, Strabo in his Geographica (around 23 AD) mentions that (xiv. 6.5): ‘In fertility Cyprus is not inferior to any one of the islands, for it produces both good wine and good oil…’. Winemaking though, was known in Cyprus long before Strabo wrote, as evident by the archaeological record, while Cypriot wine would be known for centuries by the name of “Nama”. Nevertheless, after Richard the Lionheart sold Cyprus to the Order of the Knights Templar and then to the Frank, Guy de Lusignan, the founder of the dynasty that ruled the island for three centuries (1192-1489), the Cypriot wine was renamed to “Commandaria”. During the Lusignans’ rule, catholic crusaders were settled and established themselves on the island in order to build up a feudal kingdom. Among these were the Knights of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem. During their government (in order for them to have better control of the island) Cyprus was divided into districts called ‘commanderies’. The largest territory was that of Limassol, with Colossi Castle being tis centre of administration. Therefore, the name “Commandaria” was given to the wine because vineyards of excellent quality used to produce this wine were cultivated around the area of Colossi – named “La Grande Commanderie”.
After the 12th century, the Cypriot wine became famous in almost all European countries.
A famous poem by Henri d’ Andeli ‘The battle of the Wines’ says that during a wine contest the King of France, Phillip Augustus, asked his messengers to bring him the best wines from all around the world. Commandaria won the first prize and the King called the wine of Cyprus “the Apostle of wines”. Moreover, Ludolf Von Suchen, a historian who visited Cyprus in 1336-1344 writes that Commandaria was the Crusaders’ main source of wealth because of the extensive wine trade of that period.
As evident in the text of Estienne de Lusignan, who visited Cyprus in 1850, “The Description of the Island of Cyprus”, the Cypriot wine is produced almost in the same way as it was produced during that time and even earlier, while he notes that the Cypriot wine is the best of the world.
As Commandaria is not only one of the oldest traditional wines of the world, but it is also produced only in the previously mentioned Wine villages in Cyprus, it was attributed with a Protected Designation of Origin within the European Union, USA and Canada, securing the uniqueness and authenticity of the Cypriot wine.
The case under study
The earliest archaeologically documented evidence for the vine dates back to the middle of the 5th millennium BC. Wild grape seeds have been found at the Neolithic site of Aghios Epiktetos-Vrysi (4500-3900 BC), in the Kyrenia district, but most probably without any economic significance of the plant in the early prehistory of Cyprus. The same variety of wild grape seeds have been also discovered at the Chalcolithic site of Lemba - Lakkous, in Paphos, dated in the late 4th millennium BC.
Chemical analyses of the botanical remains found at the bottoms of a number of egg-shaped jars (with long, narrow, cylindrical necks tapered towards the mouth, pointed nipple bases and no handles) found during Porphyrios Dikaios’ excavation at the archaeological site of Erimi-Bamboula, in 1932-1935, indicate that wine was produced on the island, at least, as early as the Chalcolithic period (3900-2500 BC). More specifically, out of an assemblage of eighteen jars, twelve bottoms contained large traces of tartaric acid (a naturally occurring acid found in several fruits, especially grapes), while the remaining six contained only some traces of the acid. Hence, the research concluded that the Chalcolithic jars were indeed used to intentionally process wine and, furthermore, that the jars with their specific form can be considered the predecessors of amphora-type wine storage vessels in Cyprus.
The Chalcolithic Wine Jar under study:
Out of the assemblage of the eighteen wine jars found in fragments (18 bottoms and several scattered body sherds) at the site of Erimi – Bamboula this was the only one restored and preserved. It has a characteristic ovoidal shape, pointed base and cylindrical neck tapered towards the mouth. It is taller than 60cm. It can be considered as an early amphora for wine storage and/or processing. It is white slipped inside and outside while it is decorated with wide brush strokes of red colour.
Since antiquity, grapes have been one of the most famous agricultural products and foodstuffs of Cyprus, as well as one of the basic nutritional elements of the Cypriot diet. The vine has been cultivated on the island since ancient times, while it is still widely cultivated on the island more than any kind of fruit. Viticulture constitutes almost one quarter of the agricultural population, while a large proportion of their income derives from the vines. The famous Wine Villages (“Krasochoria”) of Cyprus – fourteen areas in Limassol, Paphos and Troodos, where inhabitants are exclusively engaged to vine planting and wine-making – constitute the core of vinification of Cyprus since antiquity. However, it is difficult to make any assumptions concerning the time and the circumstances under which the plant was brought to cultivation. It is likely that its cultivation is closely related to the knowledge of turning the fruit of the vine into wine.
Wine is not only related to the nutrition or the economy of the island. Given that some of the equipment, recipes, techniques, and processes used to make wine (such as the traditional Commandaria) and zivania (another traditional grape-related beverage), as well as deserts, such as palouzes and soutzoukos, have been handed down for thousands of years, it is clear that wine constitutes a very important part of the cultural heritage – both tangible and intangible - of Cyprus, totally connected with the traditions, the art and the religion of the island.
The famous Cypriot Wine
The Cypriot wine became famous since antiquity while poets and historians, such as Homer, Stasinus, Pliny, Strabo, and others, sang the praises for its high quality and its sweet flavour. As early as 1100 B.C. the epic poet Homer refers to the Cypriot wine, while the great poet Hesiod in his book “Works and Days”, written around 800 B.C., describes its production in detail. Pliny highlights the importance of wine in antiquity in a simple statement (xiv. 150): ‘There are two liquids most pleasant to human bodies, wine inside and (olive) oil outside’. Furthermore, Strabo in his Geographica (around 23 AD) mentions that (xiv. 6.5): ‘In fertility Cyprus is not inferior to any one of the islands, for it produces both good wine and good oil…’. Winemaking though, was known in Cyprus long before Strabo wrote, as evident by the archaeological record, while Cypriot wine would be known for centuries by the name of “Nama”. Nevertheless, after Richard the Lionheart sold Cyprus to the Order of the Knights Templar and then to the Frank, Guy de Lusignan, the founder of the dynasty that ruled the island for three centuries (1192-1489), the Cypriot wine was renamed to “Commandaria”. During the Lusignans’ rule, catholic crusaders were settled and established themselves on the island in order to build up a feudal kingdom. Among these were the Knights of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem. During their government (in order for them to have better control of the island) Cyprus was divided into districts called ‘commanderies’. The largest territory was that of Limassol, with Colossi Castle being tis centre of administration. Therefore, the name “Commandaria” was given to the wine because vineyards of excellent quality used to produce this wine were cultivated around the area of Colossi – named “La Grande Commanderie”.
After the 12th century, the Cypriot wine became famous in almost all European countries.
A famous poem by Henri d’ Andeli ‘The battle of the Wines’ says that during a wine contest the King of France, Phillip Augustus, asked his messengers to bring him the best wines from all around the world. Commandaria won the first prize and the King called the wine of Cyprus “the Apostle of wines”. Moreover, Ludolf Von Suchen, a historian who visited Cyprus in 1336-1344 writes that Commandaria was the Crusaders’ main source of wealth because of the extensive wine trade of that period.
As evident in the text of Estienne de Lusignan, who visited Cyprus in 1850, “The Description of the Island of Cyprus”, the Cypriot wine is produced almost in the same way as it was produced during that time and even earlier, while he notes that the Cypriot wine is the best of the world.
As Commandaria is not only one of the oldest traditional wines of the world, but it is also produced only in the previously mentioned Wine villages in Cyprus, it was attributed with a Protected Designation of Origin within the European Union, USA and Canada, securing the uniqueness and authenticity of the Cypriot wine.
The case under study
The earliest archaeologically documented evidence for the vine dates back to the middle of the 5th millennium BC. Wild grape seeds have been found at the Neolithic site of Aghios Epiktetos-Vrysi (4500-3900 BC), in the Kyrenia district, but most probably without any economic significance of the plant in the early prehistory of Cyprus. The same variety of wild grape seeds have been also discovered at the Chalcolithic site of Lemba - Lakkous, in Paphos, dated in the late 4th millennium BC.
Chemical analyses of the botanical remains found at the bottoms of a number of egg-shaped jars (with long, narrow, cylindrical necks tapered towards the mouth, pointed nipple bases and no handles) found during Porphyrios Dikaios’ excavation at the archaeological site of Erimi-Bamboula, in 1932-1935, indicate that wine was produced on the island, at least, as early as the Chalcolithic period (3900-2500 BC). More specifically, out of an assemblage of eighteen jars, twelve bottoms contained large traces of tartaric acid (a naturally occurring acid found in several fruits, especially grapes), while the remaining six contained only some traces of the acid. Hence, the research concluded that the Chalcolithic jars were indeed used to intentionally process wine and, furthermore, that the jars with their specific form can be considered the predecessors of amphora-type wine storage vessels in Cyprus.
The Chalcolithic Wine Jar under study:
Out of the assemblage of the eighteen wine jars found in fragments (18 bottoms and several scattered body sherds) at the site of Erimi – Bamboula this was the only one restored and preserved. It has a characteristic ovoidal shape, pointed base and cylindrical neck tapered towards the mouth. It is taller than 60cm. It can be considered as an early amphora for wine storage and/or processing. It is white slipped inside and outside while it is decorated with wide brush strokes of red colour.
Creator
Source
Department of Antiquities
Limassol Archaeological Museum
Limassol Archaeological Museum
UNESCO Chair on Digital Cultural Heritage - Digital Heritage Research Lab Cyprus University of Technology
EU ERA Chair on Digital Cultural Heritage - MNEMOSYNE
Publisher
UNESCO and ERA Chairs on Digital Cultural Heritage
Digital Heritage Research Lab Cyprus University of Technology
Digital Heritage Research Lab Cyprus University of Technology
Contributor
UNESCO and ERA Chairs on Digital Cultural Heritage
Digital Heritage Research Lab Cyprus University of Technology
Digital Heritage Research Lab Cyprus University of Technology
Rights
CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Format
JPEG
PNG
PNG
Language
en
Type
Identifier
CS10
Still Image Item Type Metadata
Original Format
PHOTO
Files
Collection
Citation
Department of Antiquities, “Chalcolithic wine jars ,” Αψίδα, accessed October 18, 2024, https://apsida.cut.ac.cy/items/show/49276.