[Science] Ancient Greeks introduced wine to France, Cambridge study reveals

[DAVIDE]

The original makers of Côtes-du-Rhône are said to have descended from Greek explorers who settled in southern France about 2500 years ago




The original makers of Côtes-du-Rhône are said to have descended from Greek explorers who settled in southern France about 2500 years ago, it claimed.
The study, by Prof Paul Cartledge, suggested the world's biggest wine industry might never have developed had it not been for a “band of pioneering Greek explorers” who settled in southern France around 600 BC.


His study appears to dispel the theory that it was the Romans who were responsible for bringing viticulture to France.
The study found that the Greeks founded Massalia, now known as Marseilles, which they then turned into a bustling trading site, where local tribes of Ligurian Celts undertook friendly bartering.
Prof Cartledge said within a matter of generations the nearby Rhône became a major thoroughfare for vessels carrying terracotta amphorae that contained what was seen as a new, exotic Greek drink made from fermented grape juice.
He argued the new drink rapidly became a hit among the tribes of Western Europe, which then contributed to the French’s modern love of wine.
"I hope this will lay to rest an enduring debate about the historic origins of supermarket plonk,” he said.
"Although some academics agree the Greeks were central to founding Europe's wine trade, others argue the Etruscans or even the later Romans were the ones responsible for bringing viticulture to France.”
Archaeologists have discovered a five-foot high, 31.5 stone bronze vessel, the Vix Krater, which was found in the grave of a Celtic princess in northern Burgundy, France.
Prof Cartledge said there were two main points that proved it was the Greeks who introduced wine to the region.
"First, the Greeks had to marry and mix with the local Ligurians to ensure that Massalia survived, suggesting that they also swapped goods and ideas.
"Second, they left behind copious amounts of archaeological evidence of their wine trade (unlike the Etruscans and long before the Romans), much of which has been found on Celtic sites."
The research forms part of Professor Cartledge's study into where the boundaries of Ancient Greece began and ended.
Rather than covering the geographical area occupied by the modern Greek state, he argued Ancient Greece stretched from Georgia in the east to Spain in the west.





source:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddr...y-reveals.html

[The Good]

I can't say I'm too surprised. I've always suspected the early Greek colonists of introducing the beverage to France this way, and now the findings confirm it.

[Stavroforos]

Indeed, this had always been my assumption as well. I mean, how could Greeks survive anywhere without wine and still call themselves Greeks?

[Blau&Gruen]

There is a site in southern France (Lattara, today Latte) where etruscian amphoras have been found.

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lattara
http://www.lattara.culture.fr/

IMPORTATIONS ÉTRUSQUES
Lattes : -625
Des mobiliers d'importation étrusques sont attestés à partir de 625-600 avant notre ère
en Languedoc oriental, à partir de 600 à Marseille et en Provence occidentale et à
partir de 575 en Languedoc occidental. Il s'agit principalement d'amphores pour
transporter le vin, de vaisselle en bucchero nero pour le verser et pour le boire, et de
quelques objets en bronze (disques et plats à rebord perlé). Ce courant d'échange se
développe au cours du VIe s. et s'amenuise partout (sauf à Lattes) après 525. Les
principales cités étrusques à l'origine de ces apports sont Vulci et Caere, situées en
Étrurie Méridionale.

[Mythos]

There is a site in southern France (Lattara, today Latte) where etruscian amphoras have been found.

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lattara
http://www.lattara.culture.fr/

I think the article is talking about viticulture. Though its effect seems to have been minimal beyond the thin slice of Mediterranean coast. After all, the Romans in the following centuries (until the conquest of Gaul) were able to make a killing by selling huge amounts of wine to the Gauls, only because transporting vines from Roman to Gallic territory was punisable by death.

[DAVIDE]

I think the article is talking about viticulture. Though its effect seems to have been minimal beyond the thin slice of Mediterranean coast. After all, the Romans in the following centuries (until the conquest of Gaul) were able to make a killing by selling huge amounts of wine to the Gauls, only because transporting vines from Roman to Gallic territory was punisable by death.

yes, but Romans were usual to import wine anyway even if they produced it

Ship survey reveals Romans liked French wine

[neoptolemos]

Indeed, this had always been my assumption as well. I mean, how could Greeks survive anywhere without wine and still call themselves Greeks?

Exactly!
Wine was essential not only as a beverage but as a ceremonial liquid in worship as well.
Not to mention the findings of Greek vases for wine aging back in 6th cent in Celtic noble tombs

[Blau&Gruen]

But the etruscian amphoras from Lattara/Latte have been dated a century earlier.

see post #4

[neoptolemos]

And the tombs i am referring are in today Austria
Make a correlation with the geography and the findings......

[Blau&Gruen]

Well, I assume you mean the attic black-figure pottery in contextes of Hallstatt culture. The early creamic samples of the so called south-imports are said to be produced normally during the second half of the sixth century and appear in contextes of HaD (around 650-475).* The bronze containers of various sizes that have been found in the west-hallstatt circle are from the early sixth century.** I do not know which excavations in Austria you refer to. You may have a reference. The argument with Latte consist in the circumstance that the presence of etruscian materials there antedates the founding of the greek colony. Of course, I am not an archeologist and have only a limited understanding of westcentral european ironages and maybe therefore be wrong in my assumptions.

*examples: attic black-figure bowl with wresteling match from Heuneburg (production date around 540), bowl with lady and mirror from Kleinaspergle (around 450); graeco-massiliotic amphora fragments are said to be contemporary (Mont Lassois, Heuneburg, etc.).

**examples: bronze jug from Inzigkofen-Vilsingen (production date around 600); the bronze hydra from Graechwil/Meikirch (around 580/70); the Vix krater comes from a grave that contains import ceramic that is said to be produced around 525, the actual burial sites may date from around 500 or later.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hallstatt_culture

I would think that the convential assumption is plausible that wine and viticulture had first been introduced into France over the mediterranean coast and later expanded over the Rhone, the Saône to the interior and the Seine river network. Austria depends more on the river connections of the Danube, the Inn and the Etsch. It is possible that the import of wine or viticultre there came over the Danube and the Balkans if there was at all in pre-roman times such in Austria (with at all is meant viticulture). Related to the imports of wine to France the greek colonies certainly played an important role but it looks as they were at some places preceeded by etruscian traders.

If you have read somewhere something about indications for wine imports into Austria, it would be interesting to know about.

[Mythos]

Sure, but that was Gallia Narbonensis at the time and under Roman rule.