Hello everybody! I think that the vessel is too fine for fermentation
to have taken place in relation to this vessel, it seems more like a
vessel where the end product, wine, would be contained for serving or
offering. Besides, grape pips should be numerous and clearly visible
had they been present, should they not? Were they present in the
context of the vessel? To be honest I cannot tell from the image sent
to us.
Many greetings from a much suffering Greece...
Tania
Quoting Delwen Samuel <[log in to unmask]>:
> What a very interesting find, and what excellent photomicrography.
>
> I agree to some extent with the other comments made, that phytoliths and
> epidermal cell anatomy could help with identification, and that this
> organic material may have been preserved by corrosion products.
>
> It may be that identification is relatively straightforward. The material
> in the first micrograph (bea_ceai01detcolor.jpg) reminds me of the coarse
> warty little stems or pedicels of grapes. It is possible to see that there
> are several different materials within the mass, which could be consistent
> with grape skins and grape pip fragments. I suggest therefore that this may
> be the remains of grape must - pressed grapes before the liquid is drained
> off for wine making, which is full of seeds, pips and stems. This would
> certainly be consistent with the date and culture of the vessel. The high
> glucose and tannin content together with the metal container may have aided
> preservation.
>
> A picture of fresh pomace, though not a close-up, shows how much stem
> material can be left behind:
>
> http://citywineryblog.com/
>
> I am sending a more detailed analysis to Barbara; if anyone is interested,
> let me know.
>
> Delwen
>
> On Sat, Feb 11, 2012 at 6:53 PM, Barbara Zach <
> [log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>> Dear All,
>>
>> the following ask for identification help reached me as a former
>> collaborator with the Romanian archaeologists from the Universitäy of Alba
>> Iulia. I would like to pass the request from Beatrice Ciuta on to the list:
>>
>> "The sample came from a small Greek silver vessel dated to mid-fourth
>> century BC. The interesting part is that the "leaves" were in foot
>> round the base sample vessel with its shape. I guess they
>> are contemporary with the vessel. Getting it back into its original shape,
>> the conservatoire discovered in the foot ring, that was not worked
>> separately but as part of the body, some dry organic material that looks
>> like "tea leaves". It definitely can date only to the mid 4thcentury B.C.
>> like the vessel itself. The vessel, c. 11 cm high. The foot of the piece
>> is hollow and forms part of the body and when he got the foot into shape he
>> discovered the organic material.."..
>>
>> Thank you for any advice!
>> Barbara Zach
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
Tania Valamoti,
Assistant Professor,
Dept. of Archaeology,
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki,
54 124 Thessaloniki,
Greece
Tel: ++30 2310 997310
Fax: ++302310 997278
http://www.hist.auth.gr/en/Teaching-Staff/Soyltana-Maria-Valamoti
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