Early Byzantine winepresses and later freestanding winepresses in southern Israel

The presence of ancient winepresses in the southern coastal plain and desert towns in
the central Negev Highlands has prompted decades of academic research concerning
the production and trade in wine in these sites in the Byzantine era (4th to 7th centuries
CE). Archaeological excavations and surveys continue to reveal winepresses in the
area of Elusa as well as in the southern coastal plain where the kilns that produced
“Gaza” Wine Jars used for the storage and shipment of wine were located.
In this paper, we will discuss trends in the development of winepresses in the
Early and Middle Byzantine periods (4th to mid-6th centuries CE) from the earlier
type found inside buildings and the later freestanding type. The later type appears in
association with monastic communities throughout the southern coastal plain and
in Oboda (Heb. Avdat) in the Negev Highlands, particularly in the Middle and Late
Byzantine period (mid-5th to mid-7th centuries CE).