"When I taught archaeology, the emphasis was mostly on the big, obvious things – monuments, temples, engineering, and building styles, architectural elements, etc." says Dr. Tziona Ben-Gedalya.
"The things having to do with people's daily lives in ancient times and the really interesting questions – what they ate, what they drank, what the flavors were, what activities took place in the buildings that were discovered – were overshadowed," Ben-Gedalya notes.
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But in science, like in life itself, shadows are temporary. Bioarchaeology, a multi-disciplinary field that has flourished in the past few years and which Ben-Gedalya found a natural fit, has been shining a spotlight on questions that always interested her but were never answered.
This new area of research uses innovative technology developed for work in biology, chemistry, and medical science to answer questions about the history of humanity. Questions that Ben-Gedalya and her colleagues are slowing finding answers to.
Ben-Gedalya, 44, works as a research fellow at Ariel University and a researcher for the Regional Research and Development Center of Eastern Judea and Samaria and the Jordan Valley, one of several such centers established in the 1990s for two purposes: to help bring scientists from the former Soviet Union into Israeli research, and to foster scientific research and education in the periphery. Over the years, each center developed its own areas of expertise, tailored the areas in which they are located. Judea and Samaria, with their rich history, had every reason to reflect the past in research that looks to the future.
"I always enjoyed hiking and nature, and at university I chose a double major – Land of Israel studies and archaeology, along with biology and life sciences," Ben-Gedalya says.
"As a student, I worked in Professor Mordechai Kislev's lab. He was an expert in botanic findings from archaeological excavations. How symbolic – I sat there with a microscope, and above me were crates of Yigal Yadin's discoveries from Massada."
Although Ben-Gedalya's studies focused more on the study of the brain and the biochemistry of diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, fate repeatedly brought her back to findings from the distant past. Her biology lab is examining the possibility of using medicinal plants from ancient times known to facilitate memory and delay aging as a treatment for Alzheimer's.
"I realized that the R&D center had the ability to help archaeological research, as well. When they want to understand what ancient vessels found in archaeological dig held, the methods of biochemistry and biology are similar, or can be adapted: the use of microscopes, chemical analysis, identification of the components and identification of plants or other natural matter that came into contact with the vessel," she explains.
Wine went in, secrets came out
In 2017, the archaeologist Roee Porat, who led the delegation to study the Herodian, told Ben-Gedalya about the unique vessels uncovered at the Herodian site – dozens of hand-made storage containers known as dolia that measured about a meter [three feet] tall by a meter wide, capable of holding some 400 liters (105.6 gallons). The temptation to probe the purpose of the huge containers was immense.
"I soon joined the excavation team from the Hebrew University researching Herodian. To a large extent, it really was a mission that like a detective trying to recreate events based on what is found at a scene. At Herodian, I looked more like something we now identify with COVID: I came to the excavation wearing laboratory gear – a lab coat and gloves. When you want to take a 2,000-year-old sample, you can't contaminate it with anything modern that has a dominant presence, so the process of taking samples of ancient material looks pretty dramatic."
Thanks to the careful attention to details, study of the dolia revealed each one to be a perfectly preserved time capsule, containing evidence of far-off times. The samples were examined and prepare for various tests to be carrying out with funding from the Science and Technology Ministry. Some of the samples were brought to the Ariel University Wine Research Center, which is run by Dr. Eliyashiv Drori. Drori's search for ancient grape varietals used to make wine in the ancient Land of Israel and his attempts to recreate ancient wines in the university's research vineyard have made him into an international authority on the subject.
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The contents of the dolia are also being examined in Professor Ehud Weiss' archaeological botany laboratory at Bar-Ilan University, and revealing more plants that were intentionally or incidentally added to the wine-making process. These findings indicate that plants were added to wine for their properties of taste, health, or aroma, and teach us about the climate and the environment of those times – both the wild and cultivated areas where the wine was produced.
Cutting-edge biology and biochemistry methods might have been used to identify the contents of the dolia, but the historical context was not neglected. The fact that the giant containers were arranged in an enclosed space in Herod's palace, lined up closely and orderly on the ground floor, gave the archaeologists a hint that the production process was well-organized. Findings indicate that what has been excavated at Herodian are the remains of Herod's royal vineyard and wine storage facility. The huge jars were apparently used for fermentation, aging, and storage of locally-produced wine. The wine was decanted from the dolia into amphorae, which might have been stored for use in nearby rooms.
"The large quantity of grape seeds discovered at the bottoms of the dolia, and the organic sediment found with them, appear to be showing us that the dolia contained wine at various stages of production since seeds and sediment are removed from the wine at later stages," Ben-Gedalya explained.
Drori, who produces his own wine, adds, "At this stage, there are two possibilities, based on the type of wines. With red wine, it is customary to ferment the grape juice while the peels and seeds are still inside, to get the maximum color and flavor contained in the peels. In that case, it is unlikely that the initial fermentation was done in the dolia we found, since relatively little organic sediment was found there compared to what we would have expected for fermentation that contained the peels.
"Because thus far no wine vats from the time of Herod have been found near Herodian, we can assume that in this case, the first pressing and fermentation were carried out in vats near the vineyards in Judea, and at the end of the fermentation process, after the peels were squeezed out, the liquid – including a bit of seeds and husk were brought to the dolia in Herodian, where they were fermented a second time and the wine was produced and aged.
"However, in dolia in which white wine was produced, it's possible that they were used even for the initial fermentation, since in producing white wine it is customary to stamp the grapes and press the juice out, separate the waste, and only then ferment. In the white grape juice fermented in containers you will find traces of husk and seeds, and they will be sifted out only at later stages," Drori observes.
Go out and drink beer
There is no doubt that the king was served the best wine that could be found, produced, or imported from overseas. Herod did not hesitate to import, and had close ties with the Roman Empire. Excavations at Herodian and his other palaces have unearthed amphorae incised with delivery addresses and seals, which taught researches about large shipments of wine from Italy to Herod's court. Herod expected that the local wines be just as good. What's more, it's possible that the wines in the dolia found at Herodian were exported as part of the global wine trade.
The biological and biochemical findings in the dolia raise other questions. Research is currently focused on identifying the type of grapes used to make wine at Herodian, and Ben-Gedalya's lab is working on characterizing the bio-archaeological aspects of it. The microorganisms used in the fermentation process are also being studied.
As part of a research center that specializes in the medicinal properties of plants, especially ones unique to the Land of Israel, researchers are especially fascinated by the aromas and health benefits. In ancient times, various plant components, such as honey, herbs, or aromatic oils, were added to wine to help preserve and protect it against microbial activity. The herbs and medicinal plants added to the wine used the alcohol to produce added flavor, aroma, and health benefits. Anyone who wants to reproduce Herodian wine must understand all the ingredients that went into it.
Ben-Gedalya points to the successful recreation of another ancient beverage. Before taking part in the Herodian excavation, she was part of a study led by microbiologists Dr. Michael Klutstein and Dr. Ronen Hazan of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, who were attempting to find traces of yeast in vessels they believed once held beer. These clay jars were found in various places throughout the country and dated from different eras, starting from the Canaanite.
"I suggested they take the shards to an electron microscope to photograph and identify the sample of the different yeasts that remained. To make sure it wasn't a pipe dream, on my summer break I went to the Kidma vintners, who are the only ones in Israel who produce wine in pottery jars, using the method employed long ago in Georgia. For the sake of the research, they allowed us to cut off a piece of an old pottery vessel. When I examined it under an electron microscope, I was able to spot microorganisms that were multiplying."
After that experiment, it still had to be proven that what worked for used pottery from a modern-day vintner would work for much older pottery. And it did, Ben-Gedalya confirms.
"Ancient jugs characterized by a kind of filter that trapped elements that made up the beverage were identified through typology by archaeologists as jugs used for beer. Small shards of these jugs were scanned with an electron microscope. Then the researchers placed them in liquid in which yeast is grown. The liquid was then put into petri dish. All of a sudden, microorganisms that had been hidden inside the pottery started to appear.
"In the next stage, through a process of selection and antibiotics, only the yeast was left. They were taken for DNA sequencing and mapping. Then we found that one of the ancient yeasts was very similar to the yeast used today in Zimbabwe to brew beer at home. The researchers, together with brewers, recreated the various beers. The recipe was identical, but the taste and smell changed because the yeast was from different places and sources. Thanks to that recreation, we could taste Egyptian beer, Philistine beer, and Persian beer."
From past to present
But the findings aren't limited to beer and wine. Another vessel, found in an excavation at Kibbutz Ramat Rachel, that was used in the beer research also contained remnants of honey. Researchers think that it contained mead. If this research continues, Ben-Gedalya's dream of finding out everything that the ancient residents of this land ate and drank could come true.
Q: One day, will we be able to make King Herod's wine or recreate beverages from the Roman-era Land of Israel?
"On the whole, it's possible. I'm not sure we'll enjoy the flavors, even ones that were considered fine in their time. Tastes for wine or beer are acquired, and our palate has gotten used to very different flavors. It's no coincidence that they tended to add plants to their drinks, like mint, and it's likely that the additions improved the flavor. In general, the job of recreation brings us plenty of surprises. I remember that at the wine festival put on by Ariel University, they decided to reassemble one of the dolia.
"The experienced restorer Leah Tramer worked hard and put together the shards, like a big puzzle, and in the end, we were amazed to find out that the jar was so huge that we couldn't get it out of the room. In the end, the university people had to open up a double door in one wall to get the restored dolia out.
"Even though problems like this are inevitable every time we try to recreate the past, the attempts are fascinating. Personally, I'm enchanted by the idea that we will be able to recreate elements of the Roman feast, which among other things are seen in the Passover seder. It is a feast that combines food, drink, and conversation, and Herod's hall at Herodian certainly hosted many such feasts. In our time, the idea of locally-produced food, as the antithesis to standardized globalization, speaks to people more and more, many people wonder what people here ate and drank thousands of years ago.
"In my opinion, King Herod's palace is the epitome of local-ness. I live near Herodian, and this impressive hill, this enormous man-made fortress, is present not only in the history of the land but also in the present. We are still finding out the secrets of Herodian, and we have lots more work to do," Ben-Gedalya says.
