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A reproduction of a mosaic Greco-Roman tile piece called “Grape Picking,” by artist Renee Richardson, is part of the “Wine: A 10,000 Year History” exhibit now on display at the Douglas County Museum.
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ENLARGE
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An ancient Roman glass wine goblet, dated A.D. 100-300 and found in Israel, can now be viewed at the Douglas County Museum as part of the “Wine: A 10,000 Year History” exhibit.
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ENLARGE
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An exhibit showcasing the history of wine around the world and throughout the centuries, called “Wine: A 10,000 Year History,” is now open at the Douglas County Museum. The exhibit includes wine-related relics from other museums around the country.
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In their conquering, the Romans introduced winemaking to the far reaches of the Mediterranean.
In their spread of Christianity, the Catholics introduced winemaking to the far reaches of the world.
In their experimentations, the vintners of Umpqua Valley are poised to popularize this region to the likes of Napa Valley.
And in its latest exhibit, the Douglas County Museum brings to life these formative winemaking eras with “Wine: A 10,000 Year History.”
The exhibit begins with ancient Oregon, when wild grapes grew in the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument area and brontotheriums and nimravids — rhino-like animals and feline-like carnivores — roamed the land.
Volcanic eruptions later buried the area and preserved grape seeds, recently found by University of Florida researchers.
The earliest traces of winemaking, however, have been found in the Middle East in the region now known as Iran, said Adrienne Trunk, director of education at the museum, and then spread outward toward Egypt.
“This is a reproduction of a tomb relief that shows the entire winemaking process, from grape-picking to pressing and storing,” Trunk said.
In their spread of Christianity, the Catholics introduced winemaking to the far reaches of the world.
In their experimentations, the vintners of Umpqua Valley are poised to popularize this region to the likes of Napa Valley.
And in its latest exhibit, the Douglas County Museum brings to life these formative winemaking eras with “Wine: A 10,000 Year History.”
The exhibit begins with ancient Oregon, when wild grapes grew in the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument area and brontotheriums and nimravids — rhino-like animals and feline-like carnivores — roamed the land.
Volcanic eruptions later buried the area and preserved grape seeds, recently found by University of Florida researchers.
The earliest traces of winemaking, however, have been found in the Middle East in the region now known as Iran, said Adrienne Trunk, director of education at the museum, and then spread outward toward Egypt.
“This is a reproduction of a tomb relief that shows the entire winemaking process, from grape-picking to pressing and storing,” Trunk said.
The Egyptians also included in their frescos the last act of excessive consumption, vomiting, Trunk said.
Artifacts on display include a skyphos cup of about 400 B.C. from southern Italy and a wine goblet of about A.D. 100.
If something on display is not the real deal — such as a wooden goblet with a ram’s head for a base so it can’t be set down until all of its contents are drunk — it’s a reproduction of the real deal.
“They are examples of typical wine cups in pictures,” Trunk said.
Amphorae, which first appeared near Syria in 1,500 B.C., were eventually used as storage containers by every Mediterranean culture and the museum has a couple of artifacts on display.
Artifacts on display include a skyphos cup of about 400 B.C. from southern Italy and a wine goblet of about A.D. 100.
If something on display is not the real deal — such as a wooden goblet with a ram’s head for a base so it can’t be set down until all of its contents are drunk — it’s a reproduction of the real deal.
“They are examples of typical wine cups in pictures,” Trunk said.
Amphorae, which first appeared near Syria in 1,500 B.C., were eventually used as storage containers by every Mediterranean culture and the museum has a couple of artifacts on display.
The clay, bulbous vases have narrow bases so they could be easily screwed into the sand and also for locked-in stacking on their sides for storage on ships.
Panels in the museum display the evolution of wine storage, from clay to bottles.
Several local artists created reproductions of mosaics and columns from buildings of different eras.
In ancient cultures, wine was deemed the drink of the gods. The cultures celebrated their gods by consuming wine of various amounts according to their own ritualistic interpretations.
Once the fermentation of grapes was accidentally discovered, winemaking took off about 12,000 years ago.
“Wine quickly became important for religious and social functions,” Trunk said. “And every culture had deities of winemaking.”
With the rise of Christianity, wine became an important element in the Eucharist, a reenactment of The Last Supper practiced by Catholics to transubstantiate bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus Christ.
Wine traveled with the Catholics as they reached out to the new world with missionaries. In fact, California vineyards are rooted by missions of the past, Trunk said.
Panels in the museum display the evolution of wine storage, from clay to bottles.
Several local artists created reproductions of mosaics and columns from buildings of different eras.
In ancient cultures, wine was deemed the drink of the gods. The cultures celebrated their gods by consuming wine of various amounts according to their own ritualistic interpretations.
Once the fermentation of grapes was accidentally discovered, winemaking took off about 12,000 years ago.
“Wine quickly became important for religious and social functions,” Trunk said. “And every culture had deities of winemaking.”
With the rise of Christianity, wine became an important element in the Eucharist, a reenactment of The Last Supper practiced by Catholics to transubstantiate bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus Christ.
Wine traveled with the Catholics as they reached out to the new world with missionaries. In fact, California vineyards are rooted by missions of the past, Trunk said.
So you know ...
<b>WHAT:</b> “Wine: A 10,000 Year History” exhibit at the Douglas County Museum.
<b>WHEN:</b> Regular museum hours, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. The exhibit will be on display for about a year. <b>COST:</b> Adults, $4; seniors 55 and over, $3; children/students (ages 4-17 and college students), $2; under 4 and museum members, free. <b>WHERE:</b> The museum is located at the south end of the Douglas County Fairgrounds. |
Legend has it that Dom Perignon, a French monk of champagne fame, was the first to stopper his wine bottles with cork. However, panels at the museum explain that it was more of a regional discovery, when the bark of cork oak trees in Portugal began to replace plugs of wood wrapped with hemp and soaked in olive oil.
Not until the 17th century did glass begin to replace amphora as storage containers. The museum has on display wine bottles made before the usage of molds in the 19th century became common.
“Every bottle is slightly different,” Trunk said.
The only artifacts at the museum on loan are the grape seeds and a wine press from Henry Estate Winery.
At the end of the exhibit is a section of panels and displays dedicated to the history of wine in the Umpqua Valley. Hillcrest Vineyard, established in 1961 by Richard Sommer, was the first estate winery and vineyard in Oregon, though many early settlers began making wine much earlier.
Earl and Hilda Jones, of Abacela Winery in Winston, donated a de-stemmer to the museum, originally given to them by Alford “Mac” McCorquodale, a vineyard owner north of Myrtle Creek.
McCorquodale figures the de-stemmer, which has a hand-crank but was obviously modified to be machine-operated, is about 80 years old. He said he bought it near Oregon City about 20 years ago from an elderly man for $100. Because of its clunkiness, he loaned it to Jones to get it out of his house and for safekeeping. But Jones also found the relic to take up a lot of space — so now it’s at the museum.
“It’s probably at as good of a place it could be,” McCorquodale said.
The exhibit will remain on display until about January 2009, said Trunk, who expects a large bulk of visitors this summer.
“I think we’re going to see more and more people visiting the county, specifically to experience the Umpqua wines,” she said. “We have a very rich history.”
• You can reach reporter Adam Pearson at 957-4213 or by e-mail at apearson@newsreview.info.
Not until the 17th century did glass begin to replace amphora as storage containers. The museum has on display wine bottles made before the usage of molds in the 19th century became common.
“Every bottle is slightly different,” Trunk said.
The only artifacts at the museum on loan are the grape seeds and a wine press from Henry Estate Winery.
At the end of the exhibit is a section of panels and displays dedicated to the history of wine in the Umpqua Valley. Hillcrest Vineyard, established in 1961 by Richard Sommer, was the first estate winery and vineyard in Oregon, though many early settlers began making wine much earlier.
Earl and Hilda Jones, of Abacela Winery in Winston, donated a de-stemmer to the museum, originally given to them by Alford “Mac” McCorquodale, a vineyard owner north of Myrtle Creek.
McCorquodale figures the de-stemmer, which has a hand-crank but was obviously modified to be machine-operated, is about 80 years old. He said he bought it near Oregon City about 20 years ago from an elderly man for $100. Because of its clunkiness, he loaned it to Jones to get it out of his house and for safekeeping. But Jones also found the relic to take up a lot of space — so now it’s at the museum.
“It’s probably at as good of a place it could be,” McCorquodale said.
The exhibit will remain on display until about January 2009, said Trunk, who expects a large bulk of visitors this summer.
“I think we’re going to see more and more people visiting the county, specifically to experience the Umpqua wines,” she said. “We have a very rich history.”
• You can reach reporter Adam Pearson at 957-4213 or by e-mail at apearson@newsreview.info.
