AP Science Writer= WASHINGTON (AP) — The earliest known winery has been uncovered in a cave in the mountains of Armenia . A vat to press the grapes, fermentation jars and even a cup and drinking bowl dating to about 6,000 years ago were discovered in the cave complex by an international team of researchers. While older evidence of wine drinking has been found, this is the earliest example of complete wine production, according to Gregory Areshian of the University of California , Los Angeles , co-director of the excavation. The findings, announced Tuesday by the National Geographic Society, are published in the online edition of the Journal of Archaeological Science. The same Armenian area was the site of the discovery of the oldest known leather shoe, dated to about 5,500 years ago. That discovery at the area known as Areni-1 was reported last summer. According to the archeologists, inside the cave was a shallow basin about 3 feet across that was positioned to drain into a deep vat. The basin could have served as a wine press where people stomped the grapes with their feet, a method Areshian noted was traditional for centuries. They also found grape seeds, remains of pressed grapes and dozens of dried vines. The seeds were from the same type of grapes — Vitis vinifera vinifera — still used to make wine.
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