News - Cremated human bones found in ancient wine

Archaeologists at the University of Cordoba in Spain have discovered ancient wine containing cremated human bones. The results of their research were published in the Journal of Archaeological Science. Archaeologists had announced the discovery earlier this year of a strange liquid inside a 2,000-year-old glass urn of Andalusian origin which turned out to be the oldest wine ever found. It dates back to the 4th century BC. Archaeologists conducted a series of chemical tests to assess the fluid's pH, salinity, and organic matter content. After conducting research, they came to the conclusion that the urn really contained red wine. They have made sure of this by discovering special liquid compounds of plants: polyphenols. Also, the wine was found to contain cremated male remains and a gold ring. According to archaeologists, the fact that there were remains of a man in the cowshed indicates that women were forbidden to drink wine in ancient Rome, and it was considered exclusively a man’s drink. Archaeologists have determined that the ash content also reflects the gender division of Roman society in burial rites.