🍷 Areni-1 cave

Areni-1 cave is a cave archaeological site in the mountains of Armenia where an ancient winery was found. The Areni-1 cave is in Armenia, in the mountains near the village of Areni, in Vayots Dzor province. Archaeologists found the oldest known winery there. Its age is estimated at about 4100 BC.

The cave preserved a platform for treading grapes by foot, a vat for the juice, jars for fermenting and storage, and remains of grape seeds and skins. Analysis of traces in the pottery showed a grape-derived pigment. Scientists described this in a research paper in 2011. The dry, cool air of the cave helped everything survive.

The find is tied to the history of wine and to Armenian tradition: for example, to clay vessels called karas and to foot treading. For Armenians it is an important part of ancient culture. But it is only the oldest known winery, not necessarily the first in the world: people made wine earlier, but fewer traces remain.