Study reveals wine discovered in Greece is the oldest in Europe

CAIRO – 24 June 2021: Archaeologists conducting excavations at a prehistoric settlement northern Greece, called Dikili Tash, have completed the analysis of wine samples that date back to 4200 BC.

These are believed to be the oldest known traces of wine in Europe.

Dikili Tash is located 1.2 mi (1.93 km) from the ancient city of Philippi, which has been inhabited since 6500 BC. The site is a massive man-made mound that looms about 49 feet (15 m) above current ground level on an area of 11 acres. 

The result of thousands of years of human construction and rebuilding in the same place, the archaeological deposits in the mound extend below the present-day surface, with a total of 55 feet (17 m) of human occupation.

Dikili Tash has been known as an important Neolithic site for over a century, but the lowest levels (Early and Middle Neolithic) were identified only during recent excavations at the site.

Not much is known about the people who lived in Dikili Tash during these periods; therefore, the latest discoveries offer insight into these ancient people.