Summary: Vanilla was thought to be unknown in ancient Jerusalem but recently spiced wine jars, dating back 2,600 years, were discovered, validating that the early kings of Israel lived quite the lives of luxury.
[The King] displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty. Wine was served in goblets of gold, each one different from the other, and the royal wine was abundant, in keeping with the king’s liberality. By the king’s command each guest was allowed to drink with no restrictions, for the king instructed all the wine stewards to serve each man what he wished. – Esther 1:4,7-8 (NIV)
Rare Vanilla Flavor Found in Ancient Jerusalem Wine
Vanilla is not native to Israel, so archeologists were shocked to find 2,600-year-old jugs that contained vanilla flavored wine in the City of David National Park. Until recently, it was believed that vanilla was unknown in the region at that time.
Two digs conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) outside the walls of the Old City produced eight different jugs with vanilla molecules inside. Some of the jugs were marked with a rosette seal on their handles symbolizing the Kingdom of Judah’s royal administration. These findings were published in the prestigious peer-reviewed PLOS ONE journal on March 30, 2022.
“Vanilla markers are an unusual find, especially in light of the fire that occurred in the buildings where the jars were found,” said Ayala Amir, a doctoral student in the Department of Archeology and Ancient Near Eastern Cultures at Tel Aviv University. Amir headed the residue analysis research on the wine jugs in the laboratories at the Weizmann Institute and Bar-Ilan University.
“When I arrived at the excavation site and saw the ceramic sherds, I knew what a great opportunity this was to discover the content of the jars,” said Amir. Until recently, the technology to closely examine the residue wasn’t available.
“The wealth of molecular findings and the level at which they were preserved in the jugs are surprising. The results of the analysis of the organic residues allow me to say with confidence that the jars contained wine and that it was seasoned with vanilla,” continued Amir.
Wine Culture in Ancient Israel
Drinking wine was a prominent part of society in the Roman era, but little was known about the earlier Hebrew kingdoms and wine consumption. With this new discovery, it is now clear that ancient elites were just as invested in wine culture as later rulers.
During this era, said Amir, vanilla was considered “very luxurious, very elite.” This unexpected revelation confirms that vanilla has been used for much longer and was more widespread through trade than previously thought.
The Costly and Exotic Flavor of the Kings
Today vanilla is a common flavor, but in the 6th century BC it was much more difficult to come by. At this time in history, vanilla would have been a luxury item only available to those few who could afford it.
Scientists now believe that vanilla was brought from India or East Africa across the international trade route that crossed the Negev Desert in the 7th century BC, first under the Assyrians and then under the Egyptians and the Babylonians, making it extremely rare and thus very expensive. The residues found in the newly discovered wine jugs attest to the great status of the wine and to the drinking habits of the royals.
“These finds tell us that the residents of Jerusalem in the late seventh century BCE in this area were people of means, with money, who were connected to international trade and the South Arabia trade,” Tel Aviv University’s Professor Yiftah Shalev said.
“They could allow themselves the prestigious things of life that were available then, and were connected to the trends of the day. I don’t know what the wine tasted like then, but it certainly was considered high quality at the time,” Shalev added.
In a recent study conducted by Oxford University and the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, vanilla ranked as the world’s most pleasant aroma. People from cultures around the world were tested and vanilla came out on top, even among those who had no prior exposure to it. The second favorite was ethyl butyrate, which has a peach-like scent.
The Origins of Vanilla
Until recently, domesticating vanilla was credited to the Totonac people of Mesoamerica, who once lived along the east coast of Mexico in the 15th century AD. It was thought that the flavor had started to circulate globally after Europe’s contact with the New World.
This theory was only just abandoned in 2019, when a paradigm-altering article in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports revealed that vanilla had been found at the Tel Megiddo excavation site in northern Israel dating back to 1650-1550 BC.
Four small ceramic juglets with vanilla residue, used as a mortuary offering, were discovered in a privileged Middle Bronze Age tomb. The research then indicated the vanilla was likely produced from South Asia vanilla orchid pods, demonstrating the extensive reach of trade that existed back in the Bronze Age.
The new discovery of these jugs with seasoned wine is the first time in the ancient Middle East that vanilla has been found to be used as an additive for its taste rather than a funeral offering. Before the last few years, there was no known evidence that vanilla was used in Israel or anywhere else on the eastern side of the Atlantic.
The End of Judah’s Glory Days
The broken vanilla-induced wine jugs were dated to 587 BC, during the reign of the biblical King Zedekiah. They were found in storerooms under a collapsed building that was most likely destroyed in the Jewish-Babylonian War of 586 BC. The jugs were cracked and battered during the invasion but not completely destroyed, preserving the original contents of the containers.
King Zedekiah was the last to reign in Judah before the land was overtaken. Tragically, King Nebuchadnezzar II destroyed Jerusalem, the capital city of Judah, along with Solomon’s temple and carried the Jews off to exile.
Conclusion
“The opportunity to combine innovative scientific studies examining the contents of jars opened a window for us, to find out what they ate — and in this case — what they drank in Jerusalem, on the eve of the destruction,” said the excavations leaders, IAA’s Ortal Chalaf and Dr. Joe Uziel in a statement. Exciting new discoveries like these keep us thinking!
TOP PHOTO: Ancient wine jugs from Jerusalem being restored in the laboratories of the IAA. (credit: IAA, Ortal Chalaf with restoration by Joseph Bocangolz)
