Prehistoric wine discovered in caves forces a rethink of Sicilian culture

Samples from gasseous chambers of Monte Kronio represented the oldest wine known so far for Europe and the Mediterranean region

Deep inside Monte Kronio, hot, humid and sulfurous caves held an ancient secret. Giuseppe Savino, La Venta Esplorazioni Geografiche, CC BY-ND

Monte Kronio rises 1,300 feet above the geothermally active landscape of southwestern Sicily. Hidden in its bowels is a labyrinthine system of caves, filled with hot sulfuric vapors. At lower levels, these caves average 99 degrees Fahrenheit and 100 percent humidity. Human sweat cannot evaporate and heat stroke can result in less than 20 minutes of exposure to these underground conditions.

Nonetheless, people have been visiting the caves of Monte