The discovery of 6,000-year-old wine traces in a Sicilian cave captured public attention, but for experts the find was even more exciting. Professor Davide Tanasi, who led the team that analyzed the wine, explains why it changes our understanding of ancient Sicilian culture.

Monte Kronio rises 1,300 feet above the geothermally active landscape of southwestern Sicily. Hidden in its bowels is a labyrinthine system of caves, filled with hot sulfuric vapors. At lower levels, these caves average 99 degrees Fahrenheit and 100 percent humidity. Human sweat cannot evaporate and heat stroke can result in less than 20 minutes of exposure to these underground conditions.