A History Told through Traces

The history of wine is not preserved in a single text. It is reconstructed through archaeological finds, plant remains, vessels, images, inscriptions, trade connections and later written sources. In the cross-border region between present-day Bulgaria and Greece, these traces reveal a long relationship between people, vines and wine.

The Neolithic settlement of Dikili Tash in Northern Greece is among the sites associated with early evidence of grape processing. In later periods, the development of settlements, agriculture and exchange created conditions for winegrowing to acquire economic and cultural importance. When interpreting the earliest evidence, it is important to distinguish proven production, possible fermentation and the general use of wild or cultivated grapes.

Thrace, Macedonia and the Culture of Wine

In Antiquity, wine formed part of the economy, trade, religious beliefs and public life of Thrace and Macedonia. Drinking and mixing vessels, transport amphorae, coins and images provide evidence of its use and symbolism. The cult of Dionysus further emphasises the connection between wine, fertility, celebration and theatre.

Sea and land routes facilitated the movement of goods and ideas. The shapes and stamps on some amphorae help researchers trace production and trade contacts. This makes the archaeological object not merely an attractive exhibit, but a record of the economy and connections between ancient communities.

Wine in Everyday Life and Ritual

In the ancient world, wine was used in different settings, from the everyday table to celebrations, religious rites and funerary practices. Vessels and images in museum collections show different ways of serving and sharing it. The meaning of a specific find, however, depends on its archaeological context. Good interpretation therefore avoids broad claims and explains what is actually known.

Thracian and Macedonian lands were not isolated worlds. They participated in cultural exchange with Greek cities and the wider Mediterranean. Wine formed part of this exchange, but local societies incorporated it into their own practices and beliefs. It is this interaction between shared patterns and regional characteristics that makes the history so rich.

From the Middle Ages to the Modern Era

After Antiquity, winegrowing and winemaking continued to develop under changing political, economic and religious conditions. Monasteries, rural farms, urban markets and trading centres sustained different forms of production and consumption. Written sources and material evidence are unevenly distributed, so the history of individual places must be studied in its specific context.

Over the centuries, vineyards remained valuable agricultural property, while wine was produced for households, local markets and trade. Cultivation, storage and processing practices evolved in response to natural conditions and available technologies. Some knowledge was passed down within families, while other knowledge spread through professional contacts and the movement of people.

Museums as Guardians of Memory

Museums in Northern Greece and Southern Bulgaria preserve objects through which the history of wine can be told reliably. Amphorae, cups, kraters, coins, reliefs and other finds offer different perspectives on production, trade and ritual. Linking museum exhibits with archaeological sites and the contemporary landscape helps visitors understand history as a continuous process.

Modernisation and Contemporary Production

The modern and contemporary periods brought scientific knowledge, specialised education, new technologies and stricter production controls. Winegrowing adapted to disease, market changes and new quality requirements. Alongside large enterprises, small and family-run wineries have developed distinctive identities based on local conditions, grape varieties and recognisable styles.

Today, a winery can be both a production facility and a visitor destination. Tasting rooms, walks through vineyards and meetings with oenologists turn the production process into a tourism experience. When this experience is linked to museums, archaeology, local cuisine and landscape, the history of wine gains a contemporary continuation.

One of the most important principles is to distinguish clearly among archaeological evidence, scientific hypotheses and later local tradition. This does not make the story less interesting; on the contrary, it shows how knowledge is built and why the context of every find is decisive. Along the route, this precision can become an accessible narrative through concise explanations, comparisons between objects and places, and references to the museum collections that preserve the original evidence.

How VINE_ROUTE Presents Time

VINE_ROUTE uses history not as a backdrop but as the foundation of the route. The aim is to select sites and stories representing different periods and themes and connect them through clear interpretation. Multilingual content, augmented reality, interactive tools and tourism signage will help visitors recognise the connections between object, place, tradition and contemporary production.

This approach requires fact-checking. Historical claims must be based on museum and academic sources, while information about operating sites must be confirmed by their representatives. The route can thus be both engaging and reliable.

The Past as a Path to the Future

The history of winemaking in the cross-border region is not a straight line, but a layered narrative of adaptation, exchange and continuity. It brings together archaeological evidence, local knowledge, economic change and new tourism practices. The Cultural Path of Wine will allow these layers to be experienced in the very places where they developed.

Understanding the past helps us appreciate not only the final product, but also the labour, landscape and cultural connections behind it. This is VINE_ROUTE’s major opportunity: to turn the region’s rich history into an accessible, responsible and inspiring narrative for today’s visitor.

One History, Divided by a Modern Border

Ancient Thrace and Macedonia formed a single cultural space. Vessels, coins and sanctuaries connected with wine are found on both sides of today’s border and tell the same story.

The dataset, the interpretive texts and the thematic route are prepared according to a common structure and methodology, so that Greek and Bulgarian finds are presented in one shared corpus rather than separately. The two sections will be linked into one route, allowing visitors to follow the history of wine as a single narrative.

European co-financing

Project No 6010584 VINE_ROUTE – “The Cultural Path of Wine” is implemented under the Interreg VI-A Greece–Bulgaria 2021–2027 Programme. The Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki is the Lead Beneficiary, and the project partners are Winemakers of North Greece, the Archaeological Museum of Sandanski, and Reconstruction and Development Union – Project Partner 4. The project’s total approved budget is EUR 1,129,676.12.

This publication has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. Its contents do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union, the participating countries or the Managing Authority. The project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund and by national funds of the countries participating in the Interreg VI-A Greece–Bulgaria 2021–2027 Cross-Border Cooperation Programme.