Abstract
The large-scale salvage excavation at Yavne unearthed the industrial area of the site, including seven winepresses, most of them of the complex type. Near the winepresses, a system of storerooms and access roads was revealed. The industrial area dates from the beginning of the Byzantine period to the beginning of the Early Islamic period (fourth–eighth centuries CE), reaching a peak in the sixth century CE. This article presents the elements comprising the winepresses, their uniqueness and stages of development. Based on the architectural elements of the winepresses, and their good state of preservation, new insights regarding wine production processes and the operation of the large complex of winepresses are offered. Also, the types of wine produced locally and the variety of other possible products are discussed. In light of the vast size of the industrial area, it is debated whether the winepresses were privately owned by producers who worked together to increase local produce, or operated on a public/state level.
Recommended Citation
Viezel, Mor and Torge, Hagit
(2023)
"يطلق عليها "خمّارة" – مجمع معاصر نبيذ من الفترة البيزنطية في يڤنه / It’s a “Hangover”: The Winepress Complex of Byzantine Yavne,"
Cornerstone: Journal of Archaeological Sites (حجر الزاوية): Vol. 11, Article 45.
Available at:
https://publications.iaa.org.il/cornerstone/vol11/iss1/45
