The Vinej'ard, the Vintage, and the Making of Wine in the Ancient Orient, ^'j 



surrounded by a stone-, or clay-wall, judging from the wall- 

 paintings (see Illustration No. 3). But since these paintings pre- 

 sent to us only the vineyards of distinguished and rich. persons, 

 there is no doubt that poorer vineyard owners contended them- 

 selves with the less costly hedges. There is a strong doubt, how- 

 ever, whether during the early periods of the Egyptian history 

 vineyards were in the possession of Egyptian commoners. 



No. 3. A large garden with vineyard in centre (after Wilkinson, The Ancient 



Egyptians). 



The political and economic conditions of the timeoftheThinites 

 and the Old- and Middle Kingdoms, probably did not permit it. 

 Vineyards at that early age were an expensive luxury which 

 the king and some great officials, like Methen, could indulge 

 in, rather than a profitable investment. 



The sealing-inscriptions on the clay stoppers, which closed 

 the large wine jars of the pre-dynastic and Thinitic graves bear 



