In a scientific journey evoking the popular concept of "Jurassic Park," Bioarchaeologist Prof. Guy Bar-Oz (Department of Archaeology, University of Haifa), a member of the "Desert Sea Connectivity: Arid-Zone Food Security and Climate Change in Late Antiquity" Research Group at The Israel institute for Advanced Studies, alongside fellow researchers, Prof. Gideon Avni (Head of the Archaeological Division at the Israel Antiquities Authority) and Prof. Gil Gambash (School of Archeology & Maritime Cultures, University of Haifa), embarked on an extraordinary archaeological endeavour. 

While exploring the ruins of Byzantine agricultural settlements nestled in the Negev, Prof. Bar-Oz unearthed grape seed remnants amidst ancient refuse, echoing the vibrant wine industry that thrived there over 1,500 years ago.

However, the prosperity of the Byzantine era in the Negev eventually waned. To unravel the mysteries behind the sudden collapse of Byzantine culture in the region, they delved into the discarded remnants of the past—the refuse left behind by the Byzantines. Their excavation efforts bore fruit in May, revealing the discovery of ancient grape presses from the Byzantine period, concealed within a sealed cave at the Avdat archaeological site.
In a manner reminiscent of the fictional billionaire Dr. John Hammond from Jurassic Park, Guy and his team set out to decode the genetic heritage of these 1,500-year-old grape seeds. Utilizing the secrets of ancient DNA, the research team not only identified the long-forgotten grape varieties but also embarked on a daring endeavour to "resurrect" them. 

With the assistance of Tel Aviv University's Steinhardt Museum of Natural History Ancient DNA Lab, they successfully decoded and restored the seeds' DNA.
This remarkable endeavour culminated just last Wednesday when Prof. Bar-Oz and his collaborators, in cooperation with the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, the University of Haifa, the Israel Antiquities Authority and the Mirage Israel Foundation, planted the rendered vine shoots of these ancient varieties in Ein Avdat National Park, on the very soil where the Byzantines once cultivated their vineyards. Growers from the Negev's vineyards joined this momentous event.
Last but not least, this ambitious project not only promises to yield valuable research insights and opens the door to a unique wine industry, but could potentially be extremely helpful in addressing the challenges of grapevine cultivation in increasingly arid regions of a world that's growing drier. The answers to these questions await discovery, perhaps in three years or more, with the first anticipated harvest...

Photo credit: Israel Nature and Parks Authority & the Mirage Israel Foundation.