2 April 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Perre Ancient City Set to Revive Its 1,800-Year-Old Grape Mill

In Perre, one of the five major cities of the Kingdom of Commagene, ancient production methods will meet today’s technology. An 1800-year-old grape processing plant in the ancient city of Adıyaman will be revitalized.

The Kingdom of Commagene was a Hellenistic-Persian kingdom that ruled from 163 BC to 72 AD. During the Kingdom of Commagene (163 BCE – 72 CE), Perre was a major city and served as a vital asset due to its strategic location on a route connecting Samsat (Samosata), another local capital, and Malatya.  In historical sources, it is said that this region was used as a resting point and it is mentioned that its water is also beautiful. The Roman fountain where the water flows is still in use.

 It is famous for its rich cultural heritage and impressive monuments. Commagene featured a unique culture that blended Persian, Greek, and local influences. This diversity is clear in its art, religion, and architecture. In this region, people of different faiths lived together, worshipping Greek gods like Zeus, Apollo, and Artemis, as well as local and Persian deities. The rock tombs in the ancient city of Perre, which lost its importance after the Byzantine Period, offer a very interesting view.

Local authorities have announced an ambitious project to restore an ancient grape mill that dates back 1,800 years, aiming to enhance the tourism appeal of the historic city of Perre. This initiative promises to not only preserve a significant piece of heritage but also to attract visitors eager to explore the rich history and culture of the area.

Photo Credit: AA

In a groundbreaking initiative, local authorities are set to breathe new life into an ancient grape mill by reviving traditional winemaking practices and integrating them with modern technology. This project aims to transport visitors back in time, offering them a unique, hands-on experience of historical wine production methods.

Visitors, both domestic and international, will have the chance to witness firsthand the winemaking techniques of the past, including the operation of lever press mechanisms that were utilized in grape mills 1,800 years ago.

Governor Osman Varol provided insights into this extensive project, highlighting the significance of the ancient structure. “This site was once a workshop for winemaking. We will restore it to working order using equipment that reflects the technology of the era, and a reenactment will showcase how production was conducted in the past,” he stated, noting that the recreation will consist of four distinct stages.

The contractor business is still working to complete the project, with the local authorities also continuing excessive efforts under the direction of the Culture and Tourism Directorate, Varol noted.

The ancient city of Perre excavations are still going on at the site, Varol said, urging both local and foreign tourists to pay a visit to the historic province.

Cover Image Credit: AA

Related Articles

Isotopic Evidence reveals surprising dietary practices of pre-agricultural human groups in Morocco

30 April 2024

30 April 2024

It has long been accepted wisdom that hunter-gatherer societies lived primarily off of meat. But fresh data from an innovative...

2500-year-old Aphrodite Temple Discovered

4 February 2021

4 February 2021

Archaeologists have discovered a 2500-year-old temple built in the name of Goddess Aphrodite around Çeşme and Urla districts of Izmir...

Unique 6,000-Year-Old Sacred Hearths and Karaz Pottery Discovered at Tadım Mound in Elazığ

28 March 2025

28 March 2025

Archaeological excavations at Tadım Castle and Tadım Mound (Tadım Höyük), located within the borders of Tadım Village in Elazığ, continue...

A bronze seal matrix of St George slaying the dragon has been discovered at the royal Château of Villers-Cotterêts in northern France

21 March 2022

21 March 2022

A previously unpublished and unknown bronze seal matrix of Saint George slaying the dragon has been discovered at the royal...

A Dice Game board from 5th century BC found in western Turkey’s Daskyleion

6 September 2023

6 September 2023

Archaeologists found a terracotta dice game tabla dating back to the fifth century B.C. during the excavations of the ancient...

Researcher Says There is Similarity Between Mayan and Shu Cultures

12 April 2021

12 April 2021

The similarities between Mayan civilization and Shu culture draw the attention of researchers. As it is known, the Sanxingdui ruins,...

Archaeologists discover one of the largest Phallus Relief Carving of ancient Rome

28 August 2022

28 August 2022

According to an announcement by the region’s local history museum, a large Roman-era relief carving of a phallus has been...

Urartian King Argishti’s shield reveals the name of an unknown country

30 January 2023

30 January 2023

The inscription on a bronze shield purchased by the Rezan Has Museum revealed the name of an unknown country. It...

Archaeologists Unearthed a 1000-year-old Medieval Game Collection in a Castle in Southern Germany

4 June 2024

4 June 2024

Archaeologists found a collection of medieval game pieces at a forgotten castle in southern Germany. Among the discoveries are a...

Rare ivory plaques from First Temple Period were discovered in Jerusalem

8 September 2022

8 September 2022

An extraordinary find was made in Jerusalem: an assemblage of ivory plaques from the First Temple period, one of only...

A Lynx Buried with Four Big Dogs in an Ancient Roman Well in Hungary

17 April 2024

17 April 2024

Archaeologists have discovered the skeleton of an adult male lynx accompanied by four big dogs in a Roman-era pit in...

3,000-year-old Drill Bit Workshop Unearthed in Vietnam’s

13 May 2021

13 May 2021

According to the provincial museum, an ancient drill bit workshop dating back more than 3,000 years has been discovered at...

Roman soldier’s 1,900-year-old payslip uncovered in Masada

16 February 2023

16 February 2023

During excavations at Masada, archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities (IAA) uncovered a papyrus payslip dated to 72 BC belonging to...

When the waters receded, the mounds of Pulur Sakyol and Yeniköy, bearing the traces of Kura-Aras Culture, came to light

8 December 2021

8 December 2021

The important cultural areas of Pulur Sakyol and Yeniköy mounds, which bear the traces of Kura-Aras Culture, represented by kurgans...

1,500-year-old baptistery found in Kadı Castle-Anaia Mound in western Turkey

3 December 2021

3 December 2021

A baptistery, estimated to have been built in the 5th century AD, was unearthed in the Kadı Castle-Anaia Mound in...