The Question of Wine Consumption in Early Bronze Age Troy: Organic Residue Analysis and the Depas amphikypellon

Recent organic residue analysis confirms that the depas amphikypellon, a cylindrical goblet with two curved handles from Early Bronze Age Troy, was indeed used for wine consumption. The study, conducted by researchers at the Institute of Prehistory, Early History, and Medieval Archaeology in Tübingen, identified high concentrations of fruit acids indicative of regular wine use in these vessels. Surprisingly, similar residues were also found in cups and beakers, suggesting that wine consumption may have been more widespread than previously assumed, challenging the notion that it was an exclusive emblem of the elite. This finding could potentially reshape our understanding of the distribution and consumption patterns of wine during the third millennium BCE if further examinations at other sites reveal similar trends.

Blum, S. W. E., Rageot, M., & Mühlenbruch, T. (2025). The Question of Wine Consumption in Early Bronze Age Troy: Organic Residue Analysis and the Depas amphikypellon. American Journal of Archaeology, 129(2), 263–279. https://doi.org/10.1086/734061