The find in the excavations at Yavne in Israel
Excavations in the city of Yavne have unearthed an ancient ring buried on the site of the largest known winery in the Byzantine era. This was made known by the Israel Antiquities Authority. In a press release presenting the discovery, archaeologist Amir Golani argues that the amethyst may have been worn to prevent the negative effects of drinking too much alcohol.
“Many virtues have been attributed to this gem,” he explains, “including preventing the side effects of drinking, hangovers.”
The ring was found 150 meters from a warehouse containing amphorae that were used to store wine. The excavation site has been dated to approximately the 7th century, between the end of the Byzantine era and the beginning of the Proto-Islamic period, although officials from the Antiquities Authority think the ring may be even older.
“Gold rings set with an amethyst stone are known in the Roman world, and it is possible that the ring found belongs to the elites who lived in the city as early as the third century AD”.
Amir Golani relates that amethyst was believed to have many other “virtues” and to have religious associations, having been mentioned in the Bible. He also hypothesizes that the ring, which weighs 5.11 grams, once belonged to a “wealthy” person: “the use of the jewel indicated status and wealth. They were worn by both men and women ».
According to Elie Haddad, co-director of the excavation, the object may have “belonged to the owner of the magnificent (cellar) warehouse, to a foreman” or to an “unfortunate visitor who fell and lost his precious ring.”
“Did the person wearing the ring want to avoid intoxication from drinking a lot of wine?” he wonders, “We’ll probably never know.”
Amethyst isn’t the only cure known in ancient times for the effects of drunkenness: in 2015, an ancient Greek remedy was discovered on a 1,900-year-old papyrus. He recommended wearing a laurel leaf necklace as a “cure for drunk headaches.”
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