Ring found at ancient winery in Israel

November 9, MINSK. Archaeologists have established how the inhabitants of ancient Israel struggled with a hangover. They found a gold amethyst ring that was supposed to be worn to relieve symptoms, reports .

Excavations were carried out at the world's largest ancient winery in the city of Yavne. Its area reached almost seven thousand square meters. The plant produced up to two million liters of wine per year.

The amethyst ring has been dated to the seventh century AD. it belonged to a wealthy man. Scholars have speculated that he may have been a wine taster. The stone was not chosen by chance - in ancient times it was believed that amethyst protects against the effects of ALCOHOL. Its very name is translated from Greek as "not drunk".

Amethyst is a crystalline quartz that ranges in color from pale lilac to deep reddish purple. It is classified as a semi-precious stone. Amethyst was known to people already in the distant past - for example, it is mentioned in the Bible as one of the 12 stones on the breastplate of the high priest.

"Many benefits have been associated with this gemstone, including preventing hangovers, which is ironic since the ring was discovered near a Byzantine winery," the experts said.

Archaeologists noted that the ring was discovered in layers dated to the late Byzantine and early Islamic periods (1400 years ago). But in fact, the jewelry can be much older - such products have been stored for decades, passing from generation to generation.