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Scientists discover Neolithic wine-making
UNLV Rebel Yell ^ | 11/28/2005 | Lora Griffin

Posted on 11/29/2005 3:38:40 PM PST by SunkenCiv

The discovery that Stone Age humans were interested in growing fruit and developing fermentation processes provides many clues into the lifestyle of early Homo sapiens. The production of wine requires a relatively "stable base of operations," McGovern stated. His research suggests that these early Near East and Egyptian communities would have been more permanent cultures with a stable food supply and domesticated animals and plants. With this abundance of food came the need for containers that were durable and made from a material that was easily pliable—like clay. The porous structure of these clay vessels is what has made it possible for scientists to analyze wine that is thousands of years old.

Clay jars designed to hold about 2.5 gallons were found during an excavation conducted by Mary M. Voigt near the Hajji Firuz Tepe site in the Northern Zagros Mountains of Iran. A yellowish residue discovered inside a jar was tested using a variety of analyses including infrared, liquid chromatographic and wet chemical analyses. The chromatographic test showed the best proof that this was indeed wine by revealing the presence of terebinth tree resin... The tree resin was added to the wine during fermentation to help prevent it from turning to vinegar.

(Excerpt) Read more at unlvrebelyell.com ...


TOPICS: History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: agriculture; animalhusbandry; archaeology; dietandcuisine; godsgravesglyphs; grapes; helixmakemineadouble; history; huntergatherers; oenology; winemaking; zymurgy
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Thought I'd seen this on FR, but nothing searched up for me.

Archaeologica · Mirabilis · Texas AM Anthropology News · ArchaeoBlog
Archaeology magazine · Biblical Archaeology Society · Archaeology Odyssey · post a topic


1 posted on 11/29/2005 3:38:42 PM PST by SunkenCiv
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To: blam; FairOpinion; Ernest_at_the_Beach; StayAt HomeMother; 24Karet; 3AngelaD; asp1; ...
To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. Thanks.
Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on or off the
"Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list or GGG weekly digest
-- Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)

2 posted on 11/29/2005 3:38:56 PM PST by SunkenCiv (Down with Dhimmicrats! I last updated my FR profile on Wednesday, November 2, 2005.)
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Premature ageing device that puts old wine in new bottles
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1819067,00.html | October 10, 2005 | From Leo Lewis in Hamakita
Posted on 10/10/2005 9:45:54 AM PDT by jasoncann
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1499929/posts


3 posted on 11/29/2005 3:39:13 PM PST by SunkenCiv (Down with Dhimmicrats! I last updated my FR profile on Wednesday, November 2, 2005.)
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Fine French wine has new use: Fueling cars
International Herald Tribune/NYT | Oct. 6, 2005 | Craig S. Smith
Posted on 10/07/2005 3:14:00 PM PDT by Tamar1973
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1498663/posts


4 posted on 11/29/2005 3:46:22 PM PST by SunkenCiv (Down with Dhimmicrats! I last updated my FR profile on Wednesday, November 2, 2005.)
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To: SunkenCiv

It is at least reassuring that some things never change.


5 posted on 11/29/2005 3:48:08 PM PST by mmercier
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To: quantim

wine ping


6 posted on 11/29/2005 3:54:24 PM PST by Fractal Trader
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To: SunkenCiv

I have suspected for many years that what drove earliest agriculture was making fermented drinks, not bread...


7 posted on 11/29/2005 3:58:56 PM PST by Knitting A Conundrum (Act Justly, Love Mercy, and Walk Humbly With God Micah 6:8)
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To: Fractal Trader; SunkenCiv; NautiNurse; andrew2527; AnAmericanMother; A Jovial Cad; Awgie; ...
Click to be added or removed. (Over ninety members).

Oenology ping.

8 posted on 11/29/2005 4:06:18 PM PST by quantim (Detroit is the New Orleans of the north. It was settled by the French and liberals still run it.)
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To: SunkenCiv
Clay jars designed to hold about 2.5 gallons were found...

Oh, well then, jug wine. Doesn't count.

9 posted on 11/29/2005 4:09:23 PM PST by Grut
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To: quantim

Come on! You can't tell me that they weren't making Dandelion Wine since the dawn of time, even before they started growing fruit? That's one weed that had to be the first thing blanketing the planet.

I know my few acres have enough Dandelions to make cases of the stuff each spring, LOL!

I'll share my recipe if anyone's interested...


10 posted on 11/29/2005 4:10:21 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (Save The Earth. It's The Only Planet With Chocolate.)
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To: Grut

At least it wasn't jugged fish. The jugged fish is halibut.


11 posted on 11/29/2005 4:22:08 PM PST by SunkenCiv (Down with Dhimmicrats! I last updated my FR profile on Wednesday, November 2, 2005.)
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To: Knitting A Conundrum; mmercier

Yeah, it's as if, instead of human history going in cycles, it's going in loops. ;')


12 posted on 11/29/2005 4:22:59 PM PST by SunkenCiv (Down with Dhimmicrats! I last updated my FR profile on Wednesday, November 2, 2005.)
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To: quantim

It may be hard to believe, but we have a wonderful winery here in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Prairie Berry Winery located in Hill City, SD. They have several international award winners and have been hand-crafting wines since 1876, using ingredients native to this area. They use a lot of choke cherries, rhubarb and wild plums. My favorite is their "Red Ass Rhubarb". Really great with poultry and pastas. My husband likes their "Pheasant Reserve". (He's a pheasant hunter....go figure.) It's a light red from grapes and chokecherries. Good with pizza!

I love being able to buy local wines when they are this good.

You can order from their website. www.prairieberry.com.

No, I do not work for them.


13 posted on 11/29/2005 4:35:58 PM PST by Rushmore Rocks
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To: Rushmore Rocks

Ah, fermentation! Does wonders for anything!

My only problem with non-grape wines, such as dandelion, which I confess to having made in my Earth Mother days, is that they are excessively sweet.

But I'll check out prairieberry. Ya nevah know...


14 posted on 11/29/2005 4:38:23 PM PST by livius
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To: SunkenCiv
"Mmmmm. Zog. 25,345 BC was a very good year."
15 posted on 11/29/2005 4:45:29 PM PST by manwiththehands (Democrats and the MSM: lies and hypocrisy on steroids)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

Id like a looksee, please (he says while taking a big draught of mead that finished two days ago).


16 posted on 11/29/2005 4:57:22 PM PST by gnarledmaw (I traded freedom for security and all I got were these damned shackles.)
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To: gnarledmaw

Mmmmm....Mead!

How long before the Feds want us to register our home brews? Re: Our conversation about tagging our chickens, earlier today! B@stards.

Diana's Dandelion Wine
(Makes about a gallon)

1 gallon dandelion blossoms (pick them right after they've opened, early in the morning and cut the stem as close as you can so you don't get any of the icky Dandelion Milk in with your blossoms. (Need I say to use Dandelions that AREN'T sprayed? Didn't think so.) I use a clean gallon milk jug and fill 'er up with blossoms.

*1 gallon hot water (I usually bring a gallon of water to just this side of boiling)
*Juice of 1 lemon
*3 oranges, peeled and sliced
*4 lbs of sugar
*1 cake of yeast (or one packet, or 2&1/4 tsps.)

Combine water and blossoms in a crock or in your big glass carboy. Let stand for 24 hours, then strain.

Then add the rest of the ingredients in one large crock or put it back into the carboy. Let the mixture set for 3 weeks in a cool, dark place then bottle.

Age the bottles for at least 2 months. Enjoy!


17 posted on 11/29/2005 5:35:15 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (Save The Earth. It's The Only Planet With Chocolate.)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

Four pounds of sugar to a gallon of water?


18 posted on 11/29/2005 6:55:42 PM PST by dsc
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To: dsc; Diana in Wisconsin
Four pounds of sugar to a gallon of water?

It does sound a bit too much.

I've used 3 lbs sugar and a pound of raisins.

19 posted on 11/29/2005 11:10:11 PM PST by dread78645 (Sorry Mr. Franklin, We couldn't keep it.)
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To: Knitting A Conundrum
I have suspected for many years that what drove earliest agriculture was making fermented drinks, not bread...

That makes a lot of sense. People stick around for alchohol!

20 posted on 11/30/2005 1:43:28 AM PST by GVnana
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