(June 14,2016) The discovery of sacred rituals involving wine dating 5,000 years ago is owed to the archaeological mission carried out by the Ca’Foscari University of Venice in Georgia. They discovered traces of wine in an animal-shaped vase dating approximately to 3000 a.C., excavated in what appears to be a site of worship, in the archaeological site of Aradetis Orgora in the province of Shida Kartli, circa 100km from Tblisi. The Ca’Foscari mission began in 2013 and was supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Numerous well-conserved pollen grains from Vitis vinifera, the common vine, were discovered in the recipients. Archaeologists confirm the hypothesis that wine had a central role in the culture of the Kura-Araxes so much so that it was utilised during sacred rituals. The discovery made after analyses carried out by the Georgian pollen analyst Eliso Kvavadze, was announced by the Italian-Georgian archaeological expedition co-directed by archaeologist from Ca’Foscari, Elena Rova and Iulon Gagoshidze from the Georgian National Museum. In addition to vine pollen. Kvavadze found pollens that derive from numerous other plants still under study. The vase, unfortunately lacking its head, has the body in the shape of an animal, with three feet and a spout in its posterior for pouring liquids. It was discovered with another exemplar similar in shape and a jar on a burnt pavement in a rectangular shaped structure with rounded edges mostly likely a place of worship. The results of the carbon-14 tests confirm the dates of the artefacts as 3000-2900 a.C. circa. The two zoomorphic containers are unparalleled in the region. The 2015 expedition, during which the vases were discovered, involved 27 people including researchers and students from both Italy and Georgia. The 2016 excavation will begin Friday and will continue until July. (Red)
