In a brand new paper published in PLOS ONE, the cellar was discovered during a recent dig at Tel Kabri in Israel. Archaeologists discovered ceramic jars and fragments from other vessels dating to the Middle Bronze Age. This period spanned from 1900 BC until 1600 BC.
The analysis of ceramic samples revealed the presence of syringic and tartaric acids. These are two standard wine identifiers found in archaeological contexts. The tests also showed a variety of combinations of herbal additives, such as honey and juniper.
Canaan, as well as the greater Levantine region – roughly equivalent to Israel and Palestine today – was a place where wine played a major role in Bronze Age life. The fertile soil, warm climate, and other factors made it ideal for vines. Its importance and popularity are due to the abundance of grapes and, thus, wine.
The results of the test are consistent with historical sources, such as the Ebers Papyrus, which dates back to 1550 BC. It contains information on wine types, additives, and other details. The Ebers Papyrus dates back to 1550 BC and was a medical text. It included prescriptions for a remedy that involved powdered dung combined with wine, which could be taken orally.
What is left of the Tel Kabri cellar today? Koh et al.
The containers were discovered in a storage room off the main hall of Tel Kabri. They could have held up to 2,000 liters. This may seem like a large stockpile, but it was likely consumed quickly. It must have also been replenished each season. In the Bronze Age, wine was known to last longer than other alcoholic drinks (such as beer), but a large stockpile like this would not have lasted for ever. How could a court consume 3,000 bottles of modern wine in a year?
One reason is the large feasts that involve ritual alcohol consumption. In the Levant, such celebrations are known as Marzeah. They involve an elite group of well-off people, usually men, who throw parties characterized by heavy drinking. Marzeahs were held to honor a god, even though they weren’t directly religious, remember a deceased relative, celebrate hunting or warfare, and mark a certain milestone.
Caanan’s leaders enjoy a drink. Stockhammer
Alcohol consumption, particularly wine, was important. It is unclear why men would drink so much alcohol. Perhaps to commune with gods, demonstrate their divine qualities, or just to be socially drunk in a scene that resembled an ancient fraternity. The matzah concept was one of confirming social status and hierarchy.
At one time, the two unmarried daughters were present at a Marzeah. (They were drunk and had bad behavior, but there is no mention in the texts of any sexual activity.) The evidence on the role of women is mixed. Some sources mention that excluded wives attended matzahs or other similar events. However, others note that both men and women drank together at weddings and under close supervision.
In religious contexts, wine was offered to the gods or at wakes when mourners drank and played music while drinking it. It is used at festivals in rituals of sacrifice or mythological battles reenactments where wine replaces blood.
The wine was a sign of thanksgiving and also a payment system that was vital to the economy. In the Levant, wine was so widely used that it was often included in lodging rations and perhaps even used to pay for tithes as with grain. Even the army was sometimes paid in wines.
This newly-discovered cellar is most relevant for the large parties. What was happening here was a conspicuous consumption of a luxury/unproductive commodity, wine. Thorstein Veblen was an early critic of this indulgence in the upper class. described as a way to “reputability” for the gentleman of leisure. Veblen wrote in 1899, about capitalism. He argued that such indulgence among the upper classes was a remnant of feudalism.
Tel Kabri’s discovery is an example of this. Who needs 3,000 litres wine? The elite of the Bronze Age used wine to show off and justify their power.
