By Chelti

| Published on November 06, 2023 | 9 min read | Share

Georgia, a land with an incredible 8,000-year-old tradition of winemaking, has just uncovered a fascinating piece of its history – the world's oldest honey. Imagine being the very first to make wine and now discovering that you're also the earliest beekeepers on record. That's Georgia for you!

The Sweet Discovery

Recently, archaeologists in Georgia found some really old ceramic jars about 170 kilometres west of Tbilisi. Inside these jars were signs of honey that have been dated back a whopping 5,500 years! This discovery knocks Egypt's famous honey found in King Tut's tomb out of the top spot for the world's oldest honey.

Honey for Eternity

Just like the ancient Egyptians, the Georgians back then had a deep love for honey. They didn't just use it for sweetening their tea – they packed honey for their journey into the afterlife. What's cool is they didn't stop at one kind of honey. In those ancient jars, they had linden honey, berry honey, and meadow-flower honey. Each one had its own unique flavour and properties.

These jars with ancient honey, along with some other interesting artefacts and even a couple of human teeth, were found in the tomb of a noblewoman. This tomb was discovered during the construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline back in 2003.

Georgia in the Spotlight

This incredible find is shining a bright light on Georgia's incredible cultural and historical heritage. The world already knows about Georgia's amazing 8,000-year-old tradition of winemaking. Now, we can proudly add the world's oldest honey to that list.

Conclusion

Georgia, with its incredible 8,000-year tradition of winemaking, is now home to the world's oldest honey. This isn't just about honey; it's about a country that's been making wine and gathering honey for thousands of years. Georgia's story is a reminder of the strong connection between its people and the land they call home.

As Georgia continues to unearth its ancient treasures, we can look forward to more incredible discoveries that will continue to amaze and inspire us. Georgia's legacy, whether in wine or honey, is a testament to a rich history that's still being unveiled.