Wine in Sardinia. New Archaeological Data and Research Methodology

Wine is an important drink in the history of Sardinia. Recent research has allowed to date back of the introduction of wine production and consumption in the region. The combination of botanical finds and chemical residues allows to suggest the production and consumption of wine already from the Middle Bronze Age. The Bronze Age settlement of Sa Osa (Cabras), is one of the few Sardinian archaeological sites, which allows us to reconstruct a complete picture on the development of the exploitation of natural resources, agricultural technologies, as wine’s production. The discovery of wild and domesticated grape seeds in Sa Osa wells suggests the presence of sufficient quantities to production of the drink. Moreover, traces of wine have been found in burial pottery and also in other cultual contexts such as Abini (Teti). The grape seeds found at Duos Nuraghes at the Final Bronze Age level are the squat type with short stalks which are characteristic of Vitis vinifera L. var. sylvestris. This is a wild species which was often used in this period. Discoveries at Genna Maria indicate that in the Early Iron Age there were cultivated as well as wild species. The stone presses constitute a fundamental element of the agricultural production process and they are of significant interest due to their historical and archaeological value. These artifacts, being considered less valuable than others, have enjoyed relative anonymity. Those that have survived often have missing parts and are deprived of their original context in the landscape; therefore, it is difficult to interpret their typology and age. However, they represent an interesting feature that could be related to ancient wine production. A total of 150 fixed rural wine-presses have been found and 50 movable containers possibly connected to at least 30 other wineries, suggesting the widespreading of wine production for a long period of time, that needs further investigation.