Polish archaeologists have discovered the world's oldest bottle of mineral water at the bottom of the Baltic Sea in the Gdansk Bay. The first ever bottled mineral water ended up on the seabed 200 years ago.
Daily Mail reports that the mineral water was bottled between 1806 and 1830. The uncovered bottle is 11 3/4″ (30 cm) in length and was sealed with a cork.
The first bottle of mineral water was found on board a sunken ship in the Gdansk Bay. It was located at a 39.5 ft (12 m) depth in the Baltic Sea.
"We have not opened the bottle, we are not sure what it contains and what is the taste of the water which is 200 years old, " said Tomasz Bednarz from the National Maritime Museum.
Besides the bottle of water, the archaeologists came upon the remains of ceramic containers, a small goblet, as well as dinnerware pieces.
The first-ever bottled mineral water bears the name Selters but its discoverers also believe it might be possible for the bottle to have been made to store wine.
Selters is a luxury brand of German mineral water, which was extracted from the same-name town of Selters in the state of Hesse.
The mineral springs there dried up during the 19th century. The unique clay bottles in which the water was sold are exceptionally rare and have collectible value.
The mineral springs were discovered during the last millennium on the northern slopes of the Taunus mountains.
2 centuries ago, the towns around the state of Hesse developed into resorts with mineral baths, which attracted the rich and famous of their time.
The towns in the German state were visited by aristocrats, artistic persons and rich entrepreneurs.
After the end of the First World War, the state of Hesse lost its popularity. After Germany's defeat, the towns in the region were occupied first by the French, and later by the British army.
