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THE ENIGMA OF VIRGIL, AND THE MOSAIC OF THE WINNING ATHLETE

A fragment of the Roman Mosaic of the Winning Athlete, which, kept now in the Archaeological Museum of Zaragoza, was discovered a short distance from the cellar in 1891, appears on the labels of all ESTADA wines. Two outstanding figures appear in this fantastic work, which dates back to the IV century A.D: the exaltation of the winning athlete already mentioned under a shrine with a pediment, and on his right his already defeated rival. Both characters are sourrounded by shapes that look like allegories to wine due to their Somontano Red colour, and shapes that remind us of the well-known Roman amphorae.

Some enigmatic inscriptions, which are practically impossible to explain, appear on the left and upper part. They were possibly written with an allegoric nature and were taken from Song II of Virgil's Aeneid. In this beautiful story, Virgil narrates in the voice of the Trojan hero, Aeneas - whose second wife was called Lavinia- the destruction of the mythical city with the ingenious and daring stratagem of Ulysses' horse.

The delicate workmanship of the anonymous author can be seen on each of the tesserae of this mosaic. All of us at Bodegas Estada, from the estate and the oenologist to the meticulous hands of the harvesters, try never to forget this clear reference to a job well-done and better-finished, because everything that is done with care endures in time, like the mosaic and the Estada wines.

Perhaps this is the enigma that Virgil is referring to so as to show us the value of something eternal.


THE ENIGMA OF ESTADA: SHORT DICTIONARY OF ART, OENOLOGY AND ETHNOLOGY

Aeneas: A Trojan, the main character of the Aeneid.

Aeneid: Work of twelve songs or books composed by Virgil.

Allegory: expression by means of fiction of something that represents or symbolises something different.

Cinca: River in north-east Spain that rises in Monte Perdido (Pyrenees of Huesca) and flows into the Ebro River.

Enigma: Obscure speech or writing that is hard to understand or explain.

Estada: Municipality of the Somontano region of Barbastro in the Province of Huesca. The urban area is located on the left bank of the Cinca River, very near the confluence with the Esera River.

Ethnology: Science that deals with the causes and reasons for people's customs and traditions.

Mosaic: A surface decoration made by inlaying stone or glass, generally of various colours.

Oenology: Science that deals with wine and wine-making.

Pediment: A triangular space that forms the gable of a façade or portico. It is also placed above doors and windows.

Shrine: Small frame, shaped like a temple, which is used to hold an image or form part of a piece of furniture or jewellery.

Sítula: Vessel with a similar shape to a female breast.

Tessera: Each one of the pieces used in mosaic work.

Villa Fortunatus: Roman Villa situated on the banks of the Cinca River between the towns of Zaidin and Fraga (Huesca)

Virgil: (Publius Virgilius Maro ( Andes 70 - Brundisium19 B.C.), Latin poet, the author, among other works, of the Aeneid, The Bucolics and The Georgics. Caesar Augustus was his great protector (in the picture on the left).

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