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Vehl

(1,915 posts) Mon Dec 19, 2011, 03:31 PM Dec 2011

Ancient Texts Tell Tales of War, Bar Tabs [View all]

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

11 replies

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Ancient Texts Tell Tales of War, Bar Tabs [View all] Vehl Dec 2011 OP

How interesting! Thanks!! nt gateley Dec 2011 #1

Du rec. Nt xchrom Dec 2011 #2

Wow, that's cool Aerows Dec 2011 #3

Especially after shaking it up ashling Dec 2011 #7

Are we sure the bar matron isn't the one being taxed on what she sells? aquart Dec 2011 #4

This may be related to the story of Lot, his wife, his daughters, his pillar of salt. aquart Dec 2011 #5

So how would you say, "That salty wench brought me a beer"? Bucky Dec 2011 #10

I wondered where that page had wandered. aquart Dec 2011 #11

Very interesting! Spazito Dec 2011 #6

They must have had trouble getting people to pay their bar tabs ... surrealAmerican Dec 2011 #8

That's very cool! Odin2005 Dec 2011 #9