Ancient Texts Tell Tales of War, Bar Tabs

[Vehl]

A trove of newly translated texts from the ancient Middle East are revealing accounts of war, the building of pyramidlike structures called ziggurats and even the people's use of beer tabs at local taverns.
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When a female tavern keeper gives you a beer ...
Apparently, if you have the female keeper put the beer on your tab during the summer, she will have the right to extract a tax from you, of unknown amount, in winter.

"If a female tavern-keeper gives [in] summer one beer-jar to someone on credit its nigdiri-tax will be [...] in win[ter]..." (Translation by Miguel Civil)
The lesson? If you live in ancient Mesopotamia don't put the beer on your tab.

more here
http://news.yahoo.com/ancient-texts-tell-tales-war-bar-tabs-150403211.html

both fascinating and interesting!
Don't ever put beer on your tab if you were in ancient Babylon

[gateley]

1. How interesting! Thanks!! nt

[xchrom]

2. Du rec. Nt

[Aerows]

3. Wow, that's cool

Definitely don't open a tab in summer LOL.

[ashling]

7. Especially after shaking it up

It will spew all over the place!

[aquart]

4. Are we sure the bar matron isn't the one being taxed on what she sells?

Since she isn't getting paid in summer, the tax is deferred till she is paid?

And beer brewing and tavern keeping was very much a female province back then.

[aquart]

5. This may be related to the story of Lot, his wife, his daughters, his pillar of salt.

Lahtan: beer vat

mun: salt, salty

munu: malt (beer mash)

munu-mu(d): maltster

munus: woman

Oh, that ancient Sumerian.

[Bucky]

10. So how would you say, "That salty wench brought me a beer"?

"mun munus nadu munu."

[aquart]

11. I wondered where that page had wandered.

But really, this is waaay better: http://psd.museum.upenn.edu/epsd/nepsd-frame.html

[Spazito]

6. Very interesting!

Ancient History is one of my favorite topics, I love learning new facets like this.

Thanks for posting this, the article was a very interesting read.

[surrealAmerican]

8. They must have had trouble getting people to pay their bar tabs ...

... for this to be put down in writing.

This is an interesting glimpse of an ancient culture.

[Odin2005]

9. That's very cool!

Bars are bars, no matter what the time period!