Archaeologists discover ancient refrigerator and preserved food dating back 5,000 years

Archaeologists have uncovered the ruins of a 5,000-year-old tavern in southern Iraq, shedding light on the everyday life of one of the world’s earliest urban civilizations. The discovery was made in the ancient Lagash ruins, northeast of the contemporary city of Nasiriyah, a site that has been of significant importance to archaeologists in the past. The town, now named al-Hiba, is known as one of the earliest urban centers of the Sumerian civilization of ancient Iraq.

The team of US-Italian researchers found an open courtyard that was used for dining purposes, along with benches, an oven, ancient food relics, and a moisture-wick structure that acted as a primitive refrigerator to keep the food cool. They also discovered conical bowls that contained the remnants of fish. The discovery has offered a glimpse into the past and revealed new information about the Sumerian civilization.

Project director Holly Pittman said, “So we’ve got the refrigerator, we’ve got the hundreds of vessels ready to be served, benches where people would sit, and behind the refrigerator is an oven that would have been used… for cooking food.” She explained that the structure was a place where people could come to eat and drink, and it was not a domestic location. The archaeologists discovered evidence of beer drinking, as beer was by far the most common drink for the Sumerians, even more so than water. In one of the temples excavated in the area, there was a beer recipe found on a cuneiform tablet. The discovery of the tavern and the recipe for ancient beer has offered new insights into the culinary habits of the Sumerian civilization.

Archaeologists have been using new techniques, such as drone photography and genetic analysis, to secure data and information from the site. The excavation restarted in 2019 as part of a joint project between the Penn Museum, the University of Cambridge, and the State Board of Antiquities and Heritage in Baghdad. The use of these modern techniques has enabled the researchers to gain a better understanding of the Sumerian civilization and how people lived during that time.

The discovery of the tavern has been an exciting development for archaeologists, as it has provided new insights into the everyday life of the Sumerian civilization. The structure was not a domestic location but was a place where people could come to eat, drink and socialize. The discovery of the ancient beer recipe has been particularly interesting, as it has shed light on the culinary habits of the Sumerians. Beer was a popular drink, and the recipe found on the cuneiform tablet has offered new insights into how beer was brewed and consumed during that time.

The use of modern techniques such as drone photography and genetic analysis has enabled archaeologists to gain a better understanding of the Sumerian civilization. The excavations at the site have been ongoing, and it is expected that more discoveries will be made in the future. The Lagash ruins are a significant site, and the discovery of the tavern has added to its importance.

In conclusion, the discovery of the 5,000-year-old tavern in southern Iraq has provided archaeologists with new insights into the everyday life of the Sumerian civilization. The structure was not a domestic location but was a place where people could come to eat, drink and socialize. The discovery of the ancient beer recipe has offered new insights into the culinary habits of the Sumerians, and the use of modern techniques such as drone photography and genetic analysis has enabled archaeologists to gain a better understanding of the civilization. The excavation of the site is ongoing, and it is expected that more discoveries will be made in the future.