Sealed jars of wine dating back 5,000 years have been found in the tomb of a woman believed to be Egypt's first female pharaoh, SWNS reports.
A German-Austrian team led by archaeologist Christina Köhler of the University of Vienna was excavating the tomb of Queen Meret-Neith in Abydos when they stumbled upon a large wine jar.
Some were well preserved and still sealed in their originals State
"The wine was no longer liquid, and we could not tell whether it was red or white." Christina Köhler Archaeologist at the University of Vienna
"We found a lot of organic remains, grape seeds and crystals, possibly tartar, and all of this is currently being analyzed scientifically. It's probably the second oldest direct evidence for wine; the oldest also comes from Abydos."
Although her true identity remains a mystery, Meret-Neth was the only woman to have her own memorial tomb in Egypt's first royal cemetery at Abydos.
Based on tomb inscriptions, researchers determined that she was responsible for government agencies such as the treasury around 3,000 BC.
Merrett-Neith's desert tomb complex – which includes 41 courtiers' and servants' tombs, in addition to its own burial chamber – was built of mud bricks, clay and wood.