Terre di vino nella Siria dell'età del Bronzo (Ebla, Mari, Ugarit): la produzione vitivinicola tra dati testuali ed evidenze archeologiche

Previous studies have emphasized the existence, in the ancient Near East, of codified practices and of a cultural border between wine and beer consumption that has remained unchanged for millennia. After discussing some preliminary issues, such as the underestimated role of the wild vine, this article, focused on Bronze Age Syria, attempts to explore the ‘wine culture’ in the periods covered by Ebla, Mari and Ugarit palace archives. Particular reference is made to the strong links between territory, crop specialization and winemaking practices according to the cuneiform texts, to archaeological evidence and to palaeoambiental data. In particular, this article aims to explore how viticulture shaped the economic development of territories and the contacts between kingdoms.