January
29
/ 2023
Archaeologists have discovered a large tavern or public eating space dating to around 2700 BC at the ancient city site of Lagash in southern Iraq. Equipped with benches, a clay oven, storage jars with food scraps, and a zeer, an ancient clay pot equivalent of a refrigerator to keep food cool, the find is quite extraordinary. Holly Pittman, professor in the University of Pennsylvania’s History of Art department, curator of the Penn Museum ’s Near East Section, and the Lagash project director, said, according to a UPenn press release, “It’s a public eating space dating to somewhere around 2700 BC. It’s partially open air, partially kitchen area.” The Ancient City State of Lagash According to a 2022 article in Ancient
