Plants of the Gods: Hallucinogens, Healing, Culture and Conservation podcast

Plants of the Gods: S1E4. Wine

Dec 23, 2020

Discover the fascinating journey of wine as an ancient medicine, tracing its roots from the Transcaucasia region to ancient Greece and Rome. Hear about the medicinal marvels of early wines, their crucial role in trade, and how they shaped civilizations. Explore wine's integration into healing practices and religious rituals across cultures, including those of the Phoenicians and Egyptians. Plus, dive into the importance of biodiversity in grape cultivation and its impact on agriculture. Wine isn’t just a drink; it's a pivotal part of human history!

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INSIGHT

Wine's Value and History

Wine grapes are the most commercially valuable medicinal plant, generating over $300 billion annually.
Wine is the first recorded medicine, predating other mind-altering substances.

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ANECDOTE

Animal Alcohol Consumption

Alcohol consumption predates humans; animals like insects, birds, and mammals consume fermented fruits.
Jane Goodall observed chimps consuming fermented fruits, highlighting the long history of alcohol use.

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INSIGHT

Origins of Winemaking

Transcaucasia (modern-day Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and nearby Iran and Turkey) is where wine production originated around 8000 BCE.
Ancient winemakers used terebinth resin, an early antibiotic, to prevent wine spoilage.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Historical Significance and Origins of Wine Culture

02:09 • 7min

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Ancient Wines: Medical Marvels and Maritime Trade

09:01 • 8min

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Wine and Healing in Ancient Civilizations

16:46 • 39min

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The Importance of Biodiversity in Wine and Agriculture

55:37 • 2min

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The Plants of the Gods

The Quest for Wine, Beer, and Other Alcoholic Beverages

Patrick E. McGovern

Patrick McGovern's "Uncorking the Past" delves into the history of alcoholic beverages, tracing their origins and evolution across various cultures. The book explores the role of alcohol in social, religious, and economic contexts, providing insights into ancient brewing and winemaking techniques. McGovern's research combines archaeological findings with scientific analysis to reconstruct the history of fermented drinks, offering a fascinating glimpse into the past. The book highlights the significance of alcoholic beverages in shaping human civilizations and their impact on cultural practices. It also examines the chemical and biological processes involved in fermentation, providing a comprehensive understanding of the subject.

Naturalis historia

Pliny the Elder

Pliny the Elder's "Naturalis Historia" is a monumental encyclopedic work covering a vast range of topics, from astronomy and geography to zoology and botany. It represents a compilation of knowledge from various sources, reflecting the state of scientific understanding in the Roman world. The work includes detailed descriptions of plants, animals, and minerals, along with their properties and uses. Pliny's work served as a significant source of information for centuries, influencing both scientific and literary traditions. Despite its limitations as a compilation, it remains a valuable historical document.

The story of wine

Hugh Johnson

Hugh Johnson's "The Story of Wine" is a comprehensive and engaging history of wine, tracing its origins and evolution across different cultures and time periods. The book explores the various aspects of wine, from viticulture and winemaking to wine culture and appreciation. Johnson delves into the historical, social, and economic contexts of wine production and consumption, providing insights into the role of wine in shaping human societies. He also examines the scientific aspects of winemaking, explaining the chemical and biological processes involved in wine production. The book is richly illustrated with photographs and maps, making it a visually appealing and informative read.

Gardens of Pompeii

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Anna Maria Cirella

Anna Maria Cirella's "Gardens of Pompeii" explores the role of gardens in the daily life of the ancient Roman city of Pompeii. The book examines the various types of gardens found in Pompeii, their design, and the plants they contained. Cirella's research sheds light on the agricultural practices and horticultural knowledge of the Pompeians. The book also discusses the social and economic significance of gardens in Pompeii, highlighting their role in providing food, medicine, and aesthetic pleasure. The book is richly illustrated with photographs and drawings, providing a vivid picture of Pompeii's gardens.

A Classic Work on Roman Wine

Dioscorides's "De Materia Medica" is a comprehensive treatise on medicinal plants and substances. It describes a vast number of plants, minerals, and animal products, detailing their properties, uses, and methods of preparation. The book's detailed descriptions and illustrations made it a standard reference work for physicians and pharmacists for centuries. Its influence extended across various cultures and languages, shaping medical practices in both the East and West. The book's enduring legacy reflects its importance in the history of botany and medicine.

Inquiry into Plants

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Theophrastus

Theophrastus's "Inquiry into Plants," also known as "Historia Plantarum," is a foundational work in botany. It provides detailed descriptions of various plant species, their structures, growth habits, and uses. Theophrastus's observations and classifications laid the groundwork for future botanical studies. The book covers a wide range of topics, including plant reproduction, cultivation techniques, and medicinal applications. Its influence on botanical and medical knowledge lasted for centuries.

The Amazon, What Everyone Needs to Know

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Mark Plotkin

A History of Beverages in Civilization

Guido Magno's "The Healing Hand" is a comprehensive history of medicine, exploring the evolution of medical practices and knowledge across different cultures and time periods. The book traces the development of medical techniques and theories from ancient civilizations to modern times, highlighting key figures and discoveries. Magno examines the role of various factors in shaping medical practices, including cultural beliefs, technological advancements, and scientific discoveries. He also discusses the ethical and social implications of medical practices throughout history. The book provides a detailed and insightful account of the history of medicine.

A History of Wine as Therapy

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Salvatore Lucia

Salvatore Lucia's "A History of Wine as Therapy" explores the long history of wine's use in medicine. The book traces the use of wine as a therapeutic agent from ancient civilizations to more modern times, examining its various applications and purported health benefits. Lucia delves into historical texts and medical practices to illustrate the diverse ways in which wine was employed to treat various ailments. He also discusses the scientific basis for some of wine's purported medicinal properties. The book provides a fascinating look at the intersection of medicine and wine throughout history.

Tales of a Shaman's Apprentice

The Secret History of the Religion with No Name

Brian C. Muraresku

In 'The Immortality Key', Brian Muraresku reconstructs the suppressed history of psychedelics in ancient Greek and early Christian rituals. Through a 12-year investigation, Muraresku connects the lost psychedelic sacrament of Greek religion to early Christianity, exposing the true origins of Western Civilization. He accesses hidden archives of the Louvre and the Vatican, and collaborates with archaeochemists to unveil the first scientific evidence of psychedelic drug use in classical antiquity. The book challenges traditional views of Christianity and Western history, suggesting that psychedelics were integral to the development of these cultures.

Wine – Wine grapes and wine are unquestionably the world’s most valuable medicinal plants: the global annual value of wine is over 300 billion dollars. And the history of wine predates the origin of the human species: primates are known to consume fermented fruit to enter an altered state. This episode traces the use of wine as medicine, from ancient Transcaucasia on the Black Sea 8000 years ago, through classical Greece and Rome to the Holy Land at the period when Judaism, Christianity and Islam first arose.

Sources:

McGovern, P. Uncorking the Past. U. of California Press. 2010.

McGovern, P. and S. Calagione. Ancient Brews. W.W. Norton, 2018.

Muraresku, Brian. The Immortality Key: The Secret History of the Religion with No Name. St. Martin's Press, 2020.

Plotkin, Mark J. The Ethnobotany of Medical Wine in the Ancient World. (in press). Herbalgram 2021.

Robinson, J. and J. Harding. The Oxford Companion to Wine. Oxford University Press. 2015

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