Archaeological evidence from 1,768 ancient grape seeds scattered across Italy tells a surprising story: the transition from wild grape gathering to actual winemaking took thousands of years longer than previously thought, with true domesticated grapes not appearing until around 1300 BC.
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.
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.
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