Led by Mariano Ucchesu at the University of Montpellier in France, scientists analyzed nearly 1,800 waterlogged grape seeds from 25 archaeological sites spanning 7,000 years of Italian history, from the Early Neolithic period (6th millennium BC) through medieval times. Using sophisticated geometric analysis, they compared the ancient seeds to modern wild and domesticated grape varieties to determine exactly when humans transitioned from simply gathering wild grapes to actively cultivating the sweeter, larger fruit we know today.
For most people today, wine feels like an ancient tradition that stretches back to the dawn of civilization. But new research published in PLOS ONE reveals that Italians didn’t actually start cultivating domesticated grapes until much later than expected—and the process was far more gradual and complex than anyone imagined.
Thousands of Years of Wild Grape Gathering
During the Early Neolithic period (around 6000 BC) and continuing through the Early Bronze Age (roughly 2050-1850 BC), archaeological sites contain exclusively wild grape seeds. For thousands of years, early Italians were simply foraging for wild grapes rather than cultivating them.
“During the Early Neolithic, no evidence of morphologically domesticated grapes was observed,” the researchers wrote. Even into the Middle Bronze Age (1600-1300 BC), wild grape varieties still dominated, with only four seeds out of 142 analyzed showing domestic characteristics, a number so small it could represent natural variation or measurement error.
Chemical analysis of Bronze Age ceramics from sites across Italy has revealed wine residues, indicating that people were producing fermented beverages during this period. However, wine can be made from wild grapes too, so ceramic evidence alone doesn’t prove domestication.
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The Bronze Age Breakthrough
The real turning point came during the Late Bronze Age, around 1300-1100 BC, when archaeological evidence from the site of Sa Osa in Sardinia shows a dramatic shift. Suddenly, 45% of grape seeds displayed domestic characteristics, indicating that communities had finally mastered grape cultivation and selective breeding.
This timing coincides with significant social and political developments in Bronze Age Italy, when hierarchical societies were emerging and trade networks were expanding across the Mediterranean. These complex societies may have provided the stability and knowledge transfer necessary for successful agricultural innovation.
Recent genetic analysis of grape seeds from Sardinia revealed they shared genetic markers with modern Armenian cultivars. This suggests that Bronze Age traders likely brought domesticated grape varieties from the Middle East to Italy, where they gradually spread northward through extensive trade networks connecting Italy with Crete, Cyprus, and other eastern Mediterranean civilizations.
Roman Innovation and Medieval Perfection
By the Iron Age (roughly 800-100 BC), Etruscan sites in central Italy showed predominantly domestic grape varieties, reflecting sophisticated viticulture practices that would later influence Roman wine production. Historical sources confirm that Etruscans were already exporting wine throughout the Mediterranean by the 7th century BC.
Roman sites (1st-6th centuries AD) revealed an interesting pattern: while most grape seeds showed domestic characteristics, some sites contained significant numbers of wild-type seeds alongside domestic ones. Roman vintners were actively experimenting with wild grape cultivation, possibly breeding wild and domestic varieties to create new wine types.
During Roman times, the differences between wild and domestic grape seeds became less pronounced, suggesting that Romans were cultivating various types of vines at different stages of domestication. This experimentation appears to have ended by medieval times (8th-14th centuries AD), when archaeological sites show almost exclusively domestic grape varieties with characteristics virtually identical to modern wine grapes.
A 7,000-Year Agricultural Evolution
The research reveals that grape domestication wasn’t a single revolutionary moment but rather a 7,000-year process of gradual agricultural sophistication. Early Neolithic peoples likely gathered wild grapes seasonally, Bronze Age communities began experimenting with cultivation, Romans perfected breeding techniques, and medieval vintners established varieties that still influence Italian wine production today.
The study’s methodology — comparing seed shape and size using advanced geometric analysis — captures unprecedented precision in tracking these changes. Domestic grape seeds are characteristically larger and more elongated than their wild counterparts, with longer “beaks” at one end. These differences, invisible to the casual observer, tell the story of thousands of years of human selection for sweeter, larger fruit.
This archaeological detective work demonstrates that major agricultural innovations often require not just technological knowledge but also stable societies capable of long-term planning and investment. It’s a lesson that remains relevant for understanding how human civilization develops.
