22 October 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Europe’s Oldest Evidence of Winemaking Unearthed in ‘City of Birds’: 7,000-Year-Old Discovery

Researchers have uncovered evidence of what is believed to be Europe’s earliest winemaking in the prehistoric settlement known as the ‘City of Birds’ (Yunnatzi) near Pazardzhik, Bulgaria. Dating back 7,000 years, the find includes more than 3,000 charred grape seeds and fragments of ceramic vessels, providing the earliest evidence of winemaking on the Balkans and one of the oldest in Europe.

The settlement mound of Yunnatzi, long recognized as one of Bulgaria’s most important prehistoric sites, has now revealed that its ancient inhabitants were not only skilled in metallurgy, ceramics, and trade but also among the first Europeans to master viticulture.

A Window into Europe’s Earliest Viticulture

The seeds were unearthed in a house from the Chalcolithic period (Copper-Stone Age), which was destroyed by fire in the 5th millennium BCE. According to Associate Professor Kamen Boyadzhiev from the National Archaeological Institute in Sofia, the combination of grape seeds and vessel fragments, along with botanical analysis, strongly suggests that fermentation was taking place. This positions Yunnatzi as one of the earliest known centers of viticulture in Europe.

Associate Professor Dr. Kamen Boyadzhiev told Bulgarian National Television (BNT):
“We had a considerable amount of charred botanical remains – wheat, barley, lentils, chickpeas. We also have evidence of gathering wild fruits such as apples, pears, cornelian cherries, grapes, even wild grapes from previous seasons. In one house, we found more than 3,000 grape seeds located near two destroyed vessels. This, together with the analyses of our botanical colleagues, points to the production of a grape-based beverage, most likely wine. And this, in fact, is one of the earliest pieces of evidence for winemaking ever discovered in the Balkans.”

He added that the wine was probably poured and consumed in fine, elegant vessels covered with graphite-painted decoration—true works of craftsmanship made by specialists in table ceramics.



📣 Our WhatsApp channel is now LIVE! Stay up-to-date with the latest news and updates, just click here to follow us on WhatsApp and never miss a thing!!



Wine has long been associated with ancient civilizations, but discoveries like this push the timeline of European winemaking much further back. Until recently, the oldest firmly dated winemaking evidence in the Old World came from the South Caucasus.

For example, excavations in Georgia’s Gadachrili Gora and Shulaveri hillsides revealed clay jars with wine residue dating to around 6,000 BCE, and in Armenia’s Areni-1 cave, archaeologists identified a 6,100-year-old wine press. The Bulgarian discovery now places the Balkans firmly within this early web of viticultural innovation.

Archaeologists have found evidence of 7,000-year-old winemaking at the Yunnatzi mound. Credit: BNT
Archaeologists have found evidence of 7,000-year-old winemaking at the Yunnatzi mound. Credit: BNT

The City of Birds: A Highly Developed Civilization

The site became known as the ‘City of Birds’ because archaeologists uncovered hundreds of clay bird figurines there, and it is believed that the settlement itself was once filled with birds, reflecting the spiritual symbolism of the ancient Maritsa culture.

The Yunnatzi settlement mound, inhabited for millennia, reveals an advanced society that thrived between three mountain ranges and two rivers. Excavations have shown that residents were master craftsmen, producing elegant graphite-painted ceramics, jewelry made of gold, and specialized metallurgical tools. They maintained long-distance trade networks, importing salt from Provadia, flint from northeastern Bulgaria, and shells from the Aegean Sea.

The houses, often measuring between 60 and 100 square meters, were not only spacious but richly decorated. Archaeologists found fragments of plaster walls painted in red and white motifs—possibly with protective or ritual significance. Such symbolism suggests a strong connection between art, spirituality, and daily life.

Rituals, Games, and Spiritual Beliefs

Intriguingly, researchers also discovered more than 40 carefully selected sheep bones, believed to be used in games or rituals, as well as clay figurines linked to the Mother Goddess cult.

These artifacts highlight the settlement’s complex spiritual life and its participation in broader Neolithic religious traditions.


The site became known as the ‘City of Birds’ because archaeologists uncovered hundreds of clay bird figurines there, and it is believed that the settlement itself was once filled with birds. Credit: BNT
The site became known as the ‘City of Birds’ because archaeologists uncovered hundreds of clay bird figurines there, and it is believed that the settlement itself was once filled with birds. Credit: BNT

A Civilization Cut Short

The Chalcolithic culture of Yunnatzi—sometimes referred to as the Maritsa culture—flourished for centuries before being disrupted by migrating steppe nomads around the end of the 5th millennium BCE.

Despite its sudden collapse, the community left behind a lasting legacy: exquisite ceramics, intricate gold ornaments, and now, the earliest evidence of wine production in Europe.

Why This Discovery Matters

Wine has always been more than a drink; it is a cultural marker, tied to trade, ritual, and identity. The Pazardzhik discovery adds Bulgaria to the map of early viticulture, alongside the Caucasus and the Near East.

For modern Bulgaria, already celebrated for its wine industry, this archaeological milestone provides not just a historical curiosity but a powerful narrative linking contemporary winemaking traditions to some of the deepest roots of European civilization.

Cover Image Credit: BNT

Related Articles

A Roman tomb where magical nails were used to fend off the ‘restless dead’ has been discovered in Türkiye

15 March 2023

15 March 2023

In the ancient city of Sagalassos in southwestern Türkiye, archaeologists have identified an unusual burial practice from the early Roman...

4th Century BC Greek Shipwreck Discovered Near Croatian Island of Vis – One of the Adriatic’s Oldest

10 July 2025

10 July 2025

A significant archaeological find has been confirmed off the coast of Komiža, near the Croatian island of Vis, where researchers...

5,000-Year-Old “Küllüoba Bread” Discovered in Türkiye Reveals Ancient Baking and Fertility Rituals

30 May 2025

30 May 2025

5,000-year-old bread found in Küllüoba Höyük, Turkey reveals ancient baking methods and fertility rituals. Unique archaeological discovery with rich nutritional...

An inscription written in both runic and Latin script on a church wall in Denmark turned out to be still a legally significant promissory note

31 May 2023

31 May 2023

An inscription in both runic and Latin script on a church wall in Denmark turned out to be legally valid...

Archaeologists Discover 8600-year-old Bread at Çatalhöyük May be the Oldest Bread in the World

5 March 2024

5 March 2024

Archaeologists have discovered about 8,600-year-old bread at Çatalhöyük, a Neolithic settlement in central Turkey. Çatalhöyük is noteworthy because it is...

Ancient winery site uncovered in China’s Hebei

5 January 2022

5 January 2022

In northern China’s Hebei region, an ancient winery going back 400 years to the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties...

The famous archaeologist says he will announce the discovery of the mummy of Queen Nefertiti, one of Egyptology’s main riddles, next month

14 September 2022

14 September 2022

On December 9, 2021, Egypt’s archaeological mission, headed by renowned Egyptologist and former Antiquities Minister Zahi Hawass, resumed its search...

Roman camp of 10,000 people discovered in northern Portugal

2 July 2021

2 July 2021

A camp used by 10,000 Roman soldiers sent to conquer northwestern Iberia has been discovered in the Portuguese city of...

148 Ancient Tombs Spanning 2,100 Years Unearthed in the Construction Area of the Zoo

18 August 2024

18 August 2024

An ancient burial site with 148 tombs,  spanning over 2,100 years, has been discovered on the construction site of the...

Italian Research Team May Have Found Plato’s Burial Site in Athens

23 April 2024

23 April 2024

Graziano Ranocchia, a papyrologist at the University of Pisa, said he found Plato’s exact burial place based on papyri findings...

Archaeologists discover 7,000-year-old tiger shark-tooth knives in Indonesia

29 October 2023

29 October 2023

Excavations on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi have yielded an incredible find: two tiger shark teeth that were fashioned into...

World’s Oldest Evidence of Wick Use Discovered in 4,000-Year-Old Lamps in Israel

31 August 2025

31 August 2025

Archaeologists in Israel have uncovered one of the oldest known pieces of evidence for wick use in the world—4,000-year-old textile...

An 8,500-year-old trepanned skull discovered in Çatalhöyük

23 December 2023

23 December 2023

Traces of trepanation (skull drilling operation) were found on a skull found in the 9,000-year-old Çatalhöyük, near the modern city...

Excavation in Larissa finds a Hellenistic era sanctuary

27 November 2021

27 November 2021

The Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sport reported on Friday the discovery of ancient Greek and Hellenistic era structures at...

Amateur makes ‘Gold Find of the Century’ in Norway

7 September 2023

7 September 2023

A Norwegian 51-year-old Erlend Bore out walking on doctors’ advice unearthed rare 6th-century gold jewellery using a newly bought metal...