Viticulture in Armenia

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Wine growing in Armenia is one of the oldest in the world. It is part of that of Georgia neighbouring this Transcaucasia, one of the places of origin of the vine where the wild vine (Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris) mutated into a cultivable vine (vitis vinifera subsp. sativa) and where the first grapes were made to obtain wine. This production was placed under the protection of Spendaramet, Armenian goddess of vegetation, vine and wine. This divinity was identified with the Greek Demeter and the Iranian Spenta Armaiti. All three protect the "Mother Earth" and, through the seasonal vegetative rhythm, are symbols of death and resurrection.

History

Prehistory
On the basis of the most recent archaeological discoveries, authors such as Alexis Lichin place in Armenia the "land of grapes", while Hugh Johnson does not fail to emphasize that this place of origin of the cultivated vine is at the same time the place where Mount Ararat serves as the northern border between Turkey and Eastern Armenia, where the biblical legend makes the vine plant by Patriarch Noah at the end of the Flood. A recent discovery has further delayed the date of appearance of the vine and wine. During 2007, a team of 26 Irish, American and Armenian archaeologists searched a site near the Arpa River near the community of Areni. In a cave made up of three chambers, they found a skull still containing his brain, traces of cannibalism as well as vases filled with grape seeds allowing to assume that in this place, there is, would have taken place the oldest vinification in the world.

This discovery of grape seeds in the southern Armenian region of Vayots Dzor in 2007 prompted the National Geographic Society to fund a new campaign in 2010. Archaeological excavations at the Areni-1 site revealed a vinification complex of 6,100 B.C.E. Discovery which makes it possible to establish with certainty that the cradle of the vine and wine is currently located in Armenia.

An international team of archaeologists found traces and equipment of a vinification at a site of . This vinification complex corresponds to the Chalcolithic period. They identified a fermenter and a clay fermentation tank sheltered in a cave. These are the oldest known to date, said Gregory Areshian of the Cotsen Archaeology Institute at UCLA, co-director of excavations. It also considers this to be the most complete example of wine production in prehistoric times.

In addition to trampling and vats, seeds, pressed bunches, dried vine branches, pottery teasses, a cup worked in a horn and a cylindrical bowl used to drink wine were identified. The filler, a clay basin of one square meter and profon