Archaeologists have discovered hundreds of 5,000-year-old wine jars in the tomb of Egypt’s Queen Meret-Neith, believed to be the most powerful woman of her time. Many of the vessels were sealed, with stoppers still intact. Some even held the remains of well-preserved grape seeds.
The discovery was made during an excavation of the queen’s tomb in Abydos, Egypt. Meret-Neith was the wife of King Djer, who reigned during the First Dynasty of Egypt, around 3100-2890 BC. She is considered to be one of the earliest known female pharaohs.
The wine jars were found in a storage chamber adjacent to the queen’s burial chamber. The jars were made of clay and were decorated with hieroglyphs. Some of the jars were also inscribed with the names of different types of wine, such as red wine, white wine, and dessert wine.
The archaeologists are still analyzing the wine residue inside the jars, but they believe that it is likely to be one of the oldest known wines in the world. They are also hoping to learn more about the types of grapes that were used to make the wine and the winemaking techniques that were used at the time.
The discovery of the 5,000-year-old wine is a significant archaeological find. It provides new insights into the diet and culture of ancient Egyptians, and it also highlights the importance of wine in their society.