Beer figure into ancient Sumerian gender relations: The Sumerians considered the drink a gift from the gods to increase happiness and human well-being. Original brewers are women, pastors of Ninkasi, and women regularly make beer at home as part of their food preparation.
EXPLANATION
Beer in Mesopotamia
The people of ancient Mesopotamia enjoyed beer as a daily staple. Paintings, poetry, and myths depict humans and their gods enjoying beer consumed through straws to filter out pieces of bread or spices in drinks. Straws were created by the Sumerians or Babylonians, thought to have been created specifically for the goal of drinking beer.
The popular poem Inanna and the God of Wisdom show two gods drinking beer together. Enki, the god of wisdom, becoming so drunk. He gave the sacred meh (the law of civilization) to Inanna (thought to symbolize the transfer of power from Eridu, Enki city, to Uruk, the city of Inanna). The Sumerian poem Hymn to Ninkasi is a song of praise for the beer goddess, Ninkasi. Beer recipe, first written around 1800 BC.
In the Sumerian / Babylonian Gilgamesh Epic, the hero Enkidu becomes civilized through the service of a prostitute of the Shamhat temple who, among other things, taught him to drink beer. Later in the story, the barmaid Siduri advises Gilgamesh to give up her quest for the meaning of life and only enjoy what is offered, including beer.
The Sumerians considered the drink a gift from the gods to increase happiness and human well-being. Original brewers are women, pastors of Ninkasi, and women regularly make beer at home as part of their food preparation. Beer is made from bippar (barley bread twice baked) which is then fermented and brewing beer is always associated with baking. However, the receipt of the famous Alulu beer from the city of Ur in 2050 BC, shows that beer brewing was commercialized at the time.
Under the Babylonian government, Mesopotamia beer production increased dramatically, became more commercialized, and the law was institutionalized about it as paragraphs 108-110 of the Code of Hammurabi explained:
108
If a tavern-keeper (feminine) does not accept corn according to gross weight in payment of drink, but takes money, and the price of the drink is less than that of the corn, she shall be convicted and thrown into the water.
109
If conspirators meet in the house of a tavern-keeper, and these conspirators are not captured and delivered to the court, the tavern-keeper shall be put to death.
110
If a "sister of a god" open a tavern, or enter a tavern to drink, then shall this woman be burned to death.
LEARN MORE
If you’re interested in learning more about this topic, we recommend you to also take a look at the following questions:
- Sumerian religious beliefs
KEYWORD: Sumerian, Beer, Babylonian.
Subject: History
Class: 10 - 12
Subchapter: Sumerian
