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First evidence of white wine in ancient Egypt from Tutankhamun’s tomb

Guasch-Jané M.R., Andrés Lacueva C., Jáuregui O., Lamuela-Raventós R.M.

Journal of Archaeological Science 33 (2006): 98-101.

ABSTRACT: Wine has been considered to be mainly red in ancient Egypt linked with the blood of Osiris, the God of resurrection. No text that refers to white wines from the Dynastic Period (3150-332 BC) exists. The first white wine from ancient Egypt was made near Alexandria during the third century AD.

 

To investigate the presence of white wine in ancient Egypt, dry residue samples from King Tutankhamun's amphorae are studied in this article using the LC/MS/MS method for wine markers. This investigation into the existence of white wines in Tutankhamun's tomb allows us to shed light on the symbolism of white wine in ancient Egypt.

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