A team of archaeologists in southern Iraq have discovered the remains of a public eating space dating back almost 5000 years. This tavern was found among the ruins of ancient Lagash, an important centre of the Sumerian civilization. Inside, the archaeologists unearthed an oven, some benches, an ancient clay refrigerator known as a "zeer" as well as leftover food in bowls and other vessels. Fish and animal bones were found in the bowls, alongside evidence of beer drinking, which was widespread among the Sumerians, reported AFP. These discoveries were the result of joint efforts by teams from the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Pisa. They made use of advanced technologies such as drone photography, thermal imaging, magnetometry, and micro-stratigraphic sampling.
The unearthed items provide extraordinary insights into the lives of ordinary people who lived in urban centres 4,700 years ago. Regarding the space, project director Holly Pittman told AFP, "What we understand this thing to be is a place where people – regular people – could come to eat and that is not domestic." She added, "We call it a tavern because beer is by far the most common drink, even more than water, for the Sumerians... there was a beer recipe that was found on a cuneiform tablet."
Lagash, an ancient city made of marsh islands, has attracted a great deal of interest in recent times and has been subjected to extensive excavations by different teams of researchers. "At more than 450 hectares, Lagash was one of the largest sites in southern Iraq during the 3rd millennium," Pittman explained in the press release. "The site was of major political, economic, and religious importance."
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