King Tut Red

In the tomb of King Tutankhamun, jars of wine were placed for the pharaoh's enjoyment in the afterlife.  The question on the minds of archaeologists and oenophiles alike has been: did the pharaoh like red or white?

Spanish scientists have developed the first technique to determine the color of wine from archaeological samples.  An analysis of residues from one of King Tut's jars found that it contained syringic acid - implying that the wine was made with red grapes.

The oldest evidence of fermented grapes comes from the Zagros Mountains of present-day Iran, where archaeologists found traces of wine on a jar from 5400 B.C. The earliest representation, however, of wine-cultivation appears on Egyptian tomb walls from 2600 B.C.

"Wine in ancient Egypt was a drink of great importance, consumed by the upper classes and the kings," said Maria Rosa Guasch-Jané from the University of Barcelona in Spain.

Tutankhamun, who ruled Egypt from 1332-1322 B.C, was apparently no exception. The inscription on his tomb's wine jar reads: "Year 5. Wine of the House-of-Tutankhamun Ruler-of-the-Southern-On, l.p.h.[in] the Western River. By the chief vintner Khaa."

There was no mention of whether this vintage went well with chicken or beef.

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-- LiveScience Staff

Credit: Egyptian Museum