Vinegar in the Wine Cellar: Food Distribution at Fort Arad 600 BCE

Abstract

The well-organized food distribution to the military practiced at the fort of Arad ca. 600 BCE is analysed based on the Arad Ostraca, specifically Ostracon 2, which is concerned with food rations and management of stored wine. Wine quality was assured by inspection ordered by the commander of the fort and executed by the quartermaster. Vinegar played a significant role in the distribution associated with wine. As wine went bad in storage and turned to vinegar, the commander of the fort presented the vinegar as a gift to mercenaries who received their rations from Arad. The Arad gifting was comparable to that mentioned in the Book of Ruth, where Bethlehem harvesters received food and Ruth was gifted vinegar as a relish.

Keywords:

• Vinegar
• Arad Ostraca
• Food distribution to military
• Iron Age
• Judah
• Bethlehem

Notes

1 The translation to English is based on Aharoni (1981) with a few minor changes.