The history of viticulture and winemaking in Sudan (old Nubia) dates back to the second century BC. This was the theme of the temporary exhibition, which was held in the “Błękitny Barasek” in Gdańsk. Until June 12th, lovers of ancient history and wine can learn about the construction of the Nubian wineries, the production of amphorae and the reach of the wine trade from the 2nd century BC to the Middle Ages.
It is believed that the knowledge of wine-growing and wine-processing came to the desert together with the Greek (and later Roman) merchants. The Mediterranean wine culture was first adapted in Egypt, from where it spread to the south as an innovation of that time. Archaeological finds testify to the thriving viticulture in Nubia and the highly developed import of wine from the Mediterranean, like remains of wine presses and relics of former taverns and warehouses where amphora stoppers, jars, cups and bowls were found; the countless fragments of amphorae used for storing and transporting beverage, whether from the region or the Mediterranean.
Elements of this history can be seen in the temporary exhibition “Wine in Ancient Sudan” in Gdansk at the “Błękitny Baranek” (eng. Blue Lamb) storage house (Chmielna Street 53). The exhibition is open until 12 June.
Visitors to the exhibition will learn about the history of wine-growing in ancient Sudan, the construction and operation of Nubian wineries, the production of local amphorae and the extent of the wine trade from the 2nd century BC to the Middle Ages.
In the exhibition room were fragments of antique ceramic vessels – jugs, storage vessels, bowls and cups (from the Meroitic and post-Meroitic periods) as well as Christian amphorae (VI-XIII centuries), copies of the Meroitic sacrificial altars from the early modern era, modern tools and other items related to agriculture and Storage of agricultural products collected. Also on display are the film “On the Nile” by Piotr Parandowski and 14 illustrated display boards explaining different wine themes.
The monuments presented in the exhibition come from the collections of the Archaeological Museum in Poznań and the Archaeological Museum in Gdansk. For more information, please visit: https://archeologia.pl/en/