Strainer

2000 BC - 1800 BC
Clay
Tell Asmar
6.3 cm x 16.5 cm diam.
A8240

Oriental Institute Museum

Artifact Description

Strainer

Beer, brewed from barley, was an important part of the ancient Mesopotamian diet. Because it contained a lot of floating residue, beer was often filtered using a strainer such as this one, which consisted of a clay vessel with a series of small holes punched through it.

Collected by

Henri Frankfort, Field Director of the Iraq Expedition
Excavated by The Oriental Institute 1931-1932

Suggested Readings

Hunter, Erica. First Civilizations: Cultural Atlas for Young People. New York: Facts on File, 1994.

Kramer, Samuel Noah. Cradle of Civilization. Alexandria, VA: Time-Life Books, 1967.

Roaf, Michael. Cultural Atlas of Mesopotamia and the Ancient Near East. New York: Facts on File, 1990.

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