A 1400-year-old wine production cellar has been discovered in Israel, which has caused an uproar not only because of its age, but also because of its shape and its sheer size.

A wine cellar/tank has been discovered south of Jerusalem, with first estimates putting the age at more than 1400 years. But that is not the only thing causing excitement to run high among archaeologists. Unusual too is the size of the installation, around 16.5 by 6.5 metres. Nobody has yet figured out why the cellar has been built in an octagonal shape, as such ancient cellars tend to be either round or rectangular. Israeli scientists believe wines were exported from here to Egypt and even as far as Europe. (WF)