Latest / Trade Routes That Changed Human History Forever — Fexingo History / The Sogdian Wine Trade and the Birth of Central Asian Viticulture
Transcript
- Lucas: If you've been following along with our conversations about the Sogdian trade network, you've heard a lot about silk, paper, and even spies. But today I want to talk about something that was just as important to them, and a lot more pleasurable: wine. Luna: Wine? On the Silk Road? I thought that was more of a Mediterranean thing. Lucas: That's a common assumption, and it's half true — wine was definitely a big deal in Greece and Rome. But the Sogdians, living in what's now Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, were serious winemakers too. The Zeravshan River valley around Samarkand and Panjikent was famous for its vineyards. Lucas: In fact, archaeological digs at Panjikent have uncovered wine presses, storage jars, and even murals showing people drinking wine. It was a central part of their culture, both for everyday enjoyment and for religious rituals. Luna: What kind of rituals? Were they using it in Zoroastrian ceremonies? Lucas: Exactly. The Sogdians were mostly Zoroastrian, and wine played a role in their worship. There's evidence of wine offerings at fire temples, and the murals sometimes show scenes of feasting where wine is being shared. One famous mural from Panjikent even depicts a king drinking wine while reclining. Lucas: But it wasn't just local consumption. The Sogdians were merchants above all, and they traded their wine all along the Silk Road. Chinese records from the Tang Dynasty mention Sogdian wine being imported to China, where it was considered a luxury item. The Chinese even called it 'grape wine' as opposed to their own rice wine. Luna: So they were exporting it all the way to China? That's a long journey for something that can spoil. Lucas: It is, and they had to be clever about it. They used sealed clay jars, and likely added resin or other preservatives. The wine was probably more like a sweet, high-alcohol raisiny wine that could survive the trip. And it was worth the effort — the Chinese elite loved it. Lucas: The Tang dynasty even planted Sogdian grapevines in the Gansu corridor to try to produce their own, but the climate wasn't right. So the Sogdian monopoly held for centuries. Luna: Was wine also used as a diplomatic tool? Lucas: Absolutely. The Sogdian lords, like the famous Devashtich who ruled Panjikent in the early 8th century, would give wine as gifts to foreign envoys. When the Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang passed through Sogdiana in the 7th century, he noted that the people were 'fond of wine' and that the local rulers offered it to him. Luna: Wait — Xuanzang? The same Xuanzang who traveled to India? I remember him from the episode on zero. Lucas: The very same. He wrote extensively about the people he encountered, and his descriptions of Sogdian wine culture are some of the best primary sources we have. He mentions that they made wine from grapes and also from other fruits, like dates and mulberries. Lucas: But here's where it gets really interesting. The Arab conquest of Sogdiana in the 8th century — which we've touched on in earlier episodes — actually affected the wine trade. Islam prohibited alcohol, but the Sogdians didn't immediately stop making wine. They continued for a while, especially in areas where Arab control was looser. Luna: So they kept making it even after converting to Islam? Lucas: Many did. The conversion was gradual, and wine was so central to their identity that it persisted. There's even a story about the Sogdian lord Devashtich — the same one I mentioned — who, when besieged by Arab forces at Mount Mugh, had a stash of wine in his fortress. Archaeologists found the wine cellars at his palace. Luna: That's amazing. So wine was literally at the center of Sogdian life and trade. Lucas: It really was. And the legacy of Sogdian viticulture didn't disappear. Today, vineyards in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan still grow grape varieties that are directly descended from Sogdian stock. The region is experiencing a revival in wine production, with wineries in Samarkand and the surrounding areas. Lucas: If today was actually useful to you, the way these stay ad-free is listener support. You can help keep the show going by buying us a coffee at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Luna: Yeah, it's a small gesture that makes a big difference for us. We love bringing these stories to you. Lucas: Anyway, back to the wine. One of the most fascinating archaeological finds is the 'wine list' from Panjikent — a piece of pottery with an inscription listing different types of wine and their prices. It shows that Sogdian wine was a commodity with grades and quality differences. Luna: A price list? That's like a modern wine menu. Lucas: Exactly. They had different varieties, probably including sweet and dry wines, and maybe even sparkling wine — though that's more speculative. The inscription is in Sogdian script, of course, and it tells us that wine was not just a drink but a serious business. Lucas: And it wasn't just for the elite. Ordinary people drank wine too, as we see from the many drinking vessels found in homes. It was a daily part of life. Luna: I'm curious — did the Sogdians have any special rituals around winemaking? Like harvest festivals? Lucas: They likely did. Zoroastrian tradition included seasonal festivals, and grape harvesting would have been a major event. Some scholars think that the Nowruz festival — Persian New Year — which the Sogdians celebrated, involved wine drinking. There's even a mural from Panjikent showing a scene that might be a wine harvest festival, with people treading grapes. Lucas: And the Sogdians weren't the only ones trading wine. They also imported wine from other regions, especially from the Persian Empire to the south. So there was a two-way flow of wine and winemaking techniques along the Silk Road. Luna: That's a great point. It wasn't just a one-way export. Lucas: Right. And that exchange continued even after the Sogdian era. The Mongols, for example, were big wine drinkers too, and they appreciated Sogdian-style wines. So the tradition lived on. Lucas: One last thing — I think it's worth remembering that history is often told through the lens of empires and battles, but the everyday stuff, like what people drank, can be just as revealing. The Sogdian wine trade shows us how a commodity can shape culture, religion, and international relations. Luna: Absolutely. And it makes me want to try a Sogdian-style wine. Lucas: Well, you can! There are wineries in Uzbekistan that produce wines from ancient grape varieties. It's a direct link to that Silk Road past. Maybe we'll do a taste test in a future episode. Luna: That would be fun. But for now, cheers to the Sogdians. Lucas: Cheers indeed. And that's our look at the Sogdian wine trade — a sweet story from the Silk Road.