According to a communique from the Authority, the sophisticated factory was capable of producing up to two million liters of wine a year.

The plant included five large winepresses, treading floors where the grapes were crushed, as well as two giant octagonal tubs for collecting liquids, storages and kilns to produce jugs in which the wine was stored.

Experts also discovered the remains of thousands of jars for storing, aging and exporting wine.

About 1,500 years ago, Yavne was an important city, said archaeologist Jon Seligman, co-director of the excavation.

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