A 2,000-year-old Roman urn uncovered in southern Spain has yielded a discovery that is as fascinating as it is unsettling: the oldest wine ever found still in liquid form. The reddish fluid, verified by scientists, had remained in the same container as cremated human remains for nearly two millennia.
The story began in 2019, when a family in Carmona stumbled upon a hidden tomb during construction work at their home. Archaeologists later confirmed that the structure had stayed sealed and untouched, a rare case since many Roman burial sites were opened or looted over time.
Inside, several urns held ashes along with objects tied to funerary rituals. One vessel immediately drew attention. José Rafael Ruiz Arrebola from the University of Córdoba explains that researchers noticed a glass container filled with liquid, raising questions that only laboratory tests could answer.
Inside a Perfectly Preserved Roman Tomb
The tomb featured eight burial niches, with six urns made from materials such as stone, glass, lead, and sandstone. Each contained the cremated remains of one individual. Two names, Hispanae and Senicio, were still visible.
The preservation of the site is considered exceptional. Roman burial spaces were usually marked and exposed, which made them vulnerable over time. This one, carved directly into rock and hidden underground, remained undisturbed for around 2,000 years and preserved its contents almost perfectly.
“The town archaeologists quickly realised that the tomb was incredibly unusual because it hadn’t been raided or looted – Romans were proud, even in death, and used to build funeral monuments, such as towers, over their tombs so people could see them. They wanted to remain in people’s memories.” stated José Rafael Ruiz Arrebola, a senior author of the study.
Mystery Liquid Turns Out to Be Ancient Wine
The urn containing the liquid also held bone fragments, a gold ring engraved with Janus, and pieces of metal believed to come from a funerary bed. As Ruiz Arrebola said:
“There was an even greater surprise when the archeologists opened the urn and saw that it was full of liquid”.
Researchers first checked whether the liquid could have come from external sources, such as water infiltration. The answer came through chemical analysis. Scientists identified seven polyphenols specific to wine, confirming its origin.
According to findings reported in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, these compounds closely match those found in wines from Andalucía. The liquid also showed a pH of 7.5, indicating notable stability.
As explaind by the findings published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, these compounds closely resemble those found in wines produced today in Andalucía. The liquid’s pH of 7.5 also indicates a surprising level of stability.
“We looked for biomarkers, which are chemical compounds that unequivocally tell you what a particular substance is,” said Ruiz Arrebola. “In this case, we looked for polyphenols exclusively from wine – and we found seven wine polyphenols. We compared those polyphenols with those from wines from this part of Andalucía – and they matched.”
Despite its reddish-brown color, the wine was originally white. The absence of syringic acid, typically associated with red wine, makes that clear. Over centuries, chemical reactions gradually altered its appearance.
Ancient Wine Find Breaks a Long-Standing Record
Until now, the Speyer wine bottle discovered in Germany and dated to around AD 325 was widely regarded as the oldest preserved liquid wine. The Carmona discovery now predates it and sets a new benchmark.
Its composition shows similarities with modern wines such as Montilla-Moriles or sherry from Jerez, suggesting a continuity in regional winemaking practices that stretches back nearly two thousand years. As for tasting it, the idea has been mentioned, mostly in jest.
“It’s not in the least bit toxic – we’ve done the microbiological analysis.” He added, “But I’d have qualms about that because this wine has spent 2,000 years in contact with the cremated body of a dead Roman. The liquid is a bit murky because of the bone remains. But I guess you could filter it and try it. I’d rather someone else tried it first, though.”
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