thomasg17
New Member
Hey everyone, I recently wrote an analyse essay for my comp class on the history of beer. I thought maybe some of you would be interested in reading it. Due to length limits, I was only able to survey (rather briefly) beer in ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the pre-colonial Americas, although I did research into other regions. I've already submitted it to the instructor, but if you want to leave critique, feedback, corrections, or insights, please feel free. This paper was fun to write, and the research helped me appreciate beer in an entirely different way. Enjoy!
Whats Really at the Bottom of the Bottle?
Beer is the most widely consumed beverage across the world. It's the second most popular, as well, behind water and tea. But the beer consumed today has its roots buried in the past. It is possible that the production of beer dates back to 9,500 BCE, while chemical tests of pottery found in Iran prove that beer was produced in the vessel at least 7,000 years ago. This shrouded, overlooked history does not do justice to the rich impact beer has made on societies across the globe. Some historians believe that beer was the first fermented beverage, or even the first drink humans produced. A few historians argue that beer is, in fact, the primary reason why nomadic people settled down and began to practice agriculture in sedentary communities. If this is true, it would mean beer is, in a sense, the father of civilization. While this theory is disputed and denied by many historians, there is no denying that beer has played a relatively large role on the world stage. The history of beer or beer-like substances in ancient cultures is rich and expansive. The brewing of beer can be found in the ancient histories of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and even the Americas.
When the nomads of Mesopotamia settled down and began a sedentary lifestyle, they effectively became the people we've come to knows as Sumerians. Their agricultural lifestyle played well into the production of beer. With both wheat and barley as staple crops of the region, they had ample cereals essential to the brewing process, although brewing with barley did not come until later. However, they found that agricultural production difficult in the arid steppes of Mesopotamia, receiving fewer than ten inches of rain per year. To solve this, they devised intricate irrigation systems to transport water to their crops. Since these settlements were based on the production of grains for beer and bread making, it could be said that beer helped kick-start the agricultural revolution, helping make the Fertile Crescent as fertile as it is.
The evidence of beer in ancient Mesopotamia is abundant. Archaeologists have found a 6,000-year-old tablet depicting people drinking through reed straws from a communal beer. While unconfirmed, it is believed the people shown are drinking beer. A 3,900-year-old Sumerian poem honoring Ninkasi, the patron goddess of brewing, contains the oldest known recipe for beer. The brewing of beer was a respected occupation in Mesopotamia, and the majority of brewers were women. Barley beer is not known to have been brewed until sometime between 3,500 and 3,100 years ago, originating in the Zargos Mountains of Iran. Some believe that they produced barley primarily for the brewing of beer, as the bread made from barley was of lesser quality. An early example of cuneiform, the earliest form of writing in Mesopotamia, is a tablet dated between 3,100 and 3,000 BCE. It was found in southern Iraq and it is essentially a receipt for the allocation of beer rations. It is evidence that workers were given beer as a part of their daily wages. The Babylonians who later inhabited this region produced large quantities of beer with over 20 different varieties. The infamous Code of Hammurabi, a rigid set of laws created by Babylonian king Hammurabi that dates back to 1,772 BCE, contains a law fixing the price of beer but mentions no penalties for being drunk. Mesopotamia, the so-called Cradle of Civilization, had an undeniably close relationship with beer, although some could argue that beer is overlooked in historical analysis of the region.
Ancient Egypt is often cited as one of the greatest civilizations, with its great pyramids and mighty dynasties. But Egypt also had an intimate relationship with beer. The beer was brewed by lightly baking dough and then straining the resulting loaf through water and fermenting the remaining liquid. Like in Mesopotamia, the brewing process was largely undertaken by women, as it was seen as an offshoot of bread making. Nonetheless, this beer production provided women a means of making some extra money or gave them an opportunity to barter using their beer. The Egyptians brewed and consumed beer for a variety of purposes. It is no exaggeration to say that beer was a staple foodstuff for the ancient Egyptians. However, there is evidence that Egyptian beer was not very intoxicating at all. Men, women, and children all drank beer. Wages were often paid in beer, although other supplies were given as well. Workmen on the pyramid of Giza were given beer three times a day as a means of rations. Children were given beer for breakfast by their parents, and it was prescribed as a medicine for a great number of ailments. The Egyptians regarded beer so highly that it was believed that the god Osiris taught them to brew it. It was not only a poor mans drink, either. It was a large part of a Pharaohs diet and it was seen as the best gift to give a pharaoh. It was even a gift to the gods. During the festivals of Bast, Sekhmet, and Hathor, Egyptians would get drunk in honor of these goddesses. The glyph for beer can also be found in the glyphs for breakfast, milk, and gods offering. The Egyptians were the ones who taught the Greeks how to brew. Beer was a staple food for the ancient Egyptians, but was also much more than that. Beers importance in ancient Egypt extended far beyond that of a simple beverage. It was seen as a gift to and from the gods and it was used for a great number of purposes.
Beer was also brewed in the Americas by natives long before the arrival of Europeans. Pre-Incan Andean civilizations brewed a beer-like beverage using corn and pepper-tree berries. This drink, called chica, was produced by women in breweries high in Andes Mountains. The breweries produced hundreds of gallons of chica per week. These women were elite, being chosen according to beauty and nobility. The women were of high class, and brewing the beer probably increased their status. Water was hauled up to mountaintop to produce the brew. The beer was used in ceremonies and drank by the nobles of the Wari Empire. Further north in what is now New Mexico, it is apparent that the Pueblo Indians brewed their own beer from corn. Archaeologists have found 800 year old pots containing residue similar to that produced by fermenting beer. While this pocket of Pueblo Indians was surrounded by beer-making tribes in the American Southwest, historians did not believe they had any alcohol prior to this discovery. The surrounding tribes produced a beer called tiswin by fermenting kernels of corn, and this beer is still brewed by some today. However, there is not concrete proof that the Pueblo Indians of the past intentionally fermented the corn in the pots. It could have been accidental fermentation, but it seems likely that these ancient natives were brewing beer.
Since any substance containing sugars or starches can ferment naturally, it is probable that many ancient civilizations stumbled upon the brewing of beer. In ancient China, a beer-like substance called Kyui was brewed up to 6,000 years ago. Many Asian rice-wines, such as sake, are brewed and fermented in a fashion that resembles that of beer production more than that of wine production. Neolithic Europe is believed to have brewed beer as far back as 3,000 BCE. Beer has a rich, expansive history worthy of study. While the production of bread is often argued to be the reason mankind was able to develop technology and create civilization, beer is extremely similar to bread in both origin and production. Beer should not be overlooked when surveying ancient civilizations. In fact, it should be studied to fully grasp its impact on various societies. The similarities found in beer production across the ancient world are quite striking. For instance, in all the societies surveyed here, women were the primary brewers, and it seems likely that their job doing so boosted their social standing. Furthermore, beer served various religious and cultural functions in many ancient societies. In some regions of Mexico and Arizona tiswin is still brewed, proving that ancient beers stood the test of time and helped shape what we drink in the present day. By studying the history of beer and its impact on various cultures worldwide, one can learn much more than where a Budweiser or a Heineken came from. Rather, one can learn the rich cultural roots embedded within their bottle of beer, possibly illuminating why this particular beverage is the third most popular worldwide.
 
Works Cited
Britt, Rob R. "Elite Women Made Beer in Pre-Incan Culture." LiveScience.com. 14 Nov. 2005. Web. 20 Mar. 2012. <http://www.livescience.com/485-elite-women-beer-pre-incan-culture.html>.
Dornbusch, Horst. "Beer: The Midwife of Civilization." Assyrian International News Agency. 27 Aug. 2006. Web. 20 Mar. 2012. <http://www.aina.org/ata/20060827151956.htm>.
"Early Writing Tablet Recording the Allocation of Beer." British Museum. Web. 20 Mar. 2012. <http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/me/t/tablet,_allocation_of_beer.aspx>.
Hill, J. "Beer in Ancient Egypt." Ancient Egypt Society: Beer. Ancient Egypt Online. Web. 20 Mar. 2012. <http://www.ancientegyptonline.co.uk/beer.html>.
Seawright, Caroline. "Ancient Egyptian Alcohol." K4W Foundation. 12 Mar. 2001. Web. 20 Mar. 2012. <http://www.thekeep.org/~kunoichi/kunoichi/themestream/egypt_alcohol.html>.
Whipps, Heather. "Beer Brewed Long Ago by Native Americans." LiveScience.com. 28 Dec. 2007. Web. 20 Mar. 2012. <http://www.livescience.com/4770-beer-brewed-long-native-americans.html>.
Whats Really at the Bottom of the Bottle?
Beer is the most widely consumed beverage across the world. It's the second most popular, as well, behind water and tea. But the beer consumed today has its roots buried in the past. It is possible that the production of beer dates back to 9,500 BCE, while chemical tests of pottery found in Iran prove that beer was produced in the vessel at least 7,000 years ago. This shrouded, overlooked history does not do justice to the rich impact beer has made on societies across the globe. Some historians believe that beer was the first fermented beverage, or even the first drink humans produced. A few historians argue that beer is, in fact, the primary reason why nomadic people settled down and began to practice agriculture in sedentary communities. If this is true, it would mean beer is, in a sense, the father of civilization. While this theory is disputed and denied by many historians, there is no denying that beer has played a relatively large role on the world stage. The history of beer or beer-like substances in ancient cultures is rich and expansive. The brewing of beer can be found in the ancient histories of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and even the Americas.
When the nomads of Mesopotamia settled down and began a sedentary lifestyle, they effectively became the people we've come to knows as Sumerians. Their agricultural lifestyle played well into the production of beer. With both wheat and barley as staple crops of the region, they had ample cereals essential to the brewing process, although brewing with barley did not come until later. However, they found that agricultural production difficult in the arid steppes of Mesopotamia, receiving fewer than ten inches of rain per year. To solve this, they devised intricate irrigation systems to transport water to their crops. Since these settlements were based on the production of grains for beer and bread making, it could be said that beer helped kick-start the agricultural revolution, helping make the Fertile Crescent as fertile as it is.
The evidence of beer in ancient Mesopotamia is abundant. Archaeologists have found a 6,000-year-old tablet depicting people drinking through reed straws from a communal beer. While unconfirmed, it is believed the people shown are drinking beer. A 3,900-year-old Sumerian poem honoring Ninkasi, the patron goddess of brewing, contains the oldest known recipe for beer. The brewing of beer was a respected occupation in Mesopotamia, and the majority of brewers were women. Barley beer is not known to have been brewed until sometime between 3,500 and 3,100 years ago, originating in the Zargos Mountains of Iran. Some believe that they produced barley primarily for the brewing of beer, as the bread made from barley was of lesser quality. An early example of cuneiform, the earliest form of writing in Mesopotamia, is a tablet dated between 3,100 and 3,000 BCE. It was found in southern Iraq and it is essentially a receipt for the allocation of beer rations. It is evidence that workers were given beer as a part of their daily wages. The Babylonians who later inhabited this region produced large quantities of beer with over 20 different varieties. The infamous Code of Hammurabi, a rigid set of laws created by Babylonian king Hammurabi that dates back to 1,772 BCE, contains a law fixing the price of beer but mentions no penalties for being drunk. Mesopotamia, the so-called Cradle of Civilization, had an undeniably close relationship with beer, although some could argue that beer is overlooked in historical analysis of the region.
Ancient Egypt is often cited as one of the greatest civilizations, with its great pyramids and mighty dynasties. But Egypt also had an intimate relationship with beer. The beer was brewed by lightly baking dough and then straining the resulting loaf through water and fermenting the remaining liquid. Like in Mesopotamia, the brewing process was largely undertaken by women, as it was seen as an offshoot of bread making. Nonetheless, this beer production provided women a means of making some extra money or gave them an opportunity to barter using their beer. The Egyptians brewed and consumed beer for a variety of purposes. It is no exaggeration to say that beer was a staple foodstuff for the ancient Egyptians. However, there is evidence that Egyptian beer was not very intoxicating at all. Men, women, and children all drank beer. Wages were often paid in beer, although other supplies were given as well. Workmen on the pyramid of Giza were given beer three times a day as a means of rations. Children were given beer for breakfast by their parents, and it was prescribed as a medicine for a great number of ailments. The Egyptians regarded beer so highly that it was believed that the god Osiris taught them to brew it. It was not only a poor mans drink, either. It was a large part of a Pharaohs diet and it was seen as the best gift to give a pharaoh. It was even a gift to the gods. During the festivals of Bast, Sekhmet, and Hathor, Egyptians would get drunk in honor of these goddesses. The glyph for beer can also be found in the glyphs for breakfast, milk, and gods offering. The Egyptians were the ones who taught the Greeks how to brew. Beer was a staple food for the ancient Egyptians, but was also much more than that. Beers importance in ancient Egypt extended far beyond that of a simple beverage. It was seen as a gift to and from the gods and it was used for a great number of purposes.
Beer was also brewed in the Americas by natives long before the arrival of Europeans. Pre-Incan Andean civilizations brewed a beer-like beverage using corn and pepper-tree berries. This drink, called chica, was produced by women in breweries high in Andes Mountains. The breweries produced hundreds of gallons of chica per week. These women were elite, being chosen according to beauty and nobility. The women were of high class, and brewing the beer probably increased their status. Water was hauled up to mountaintop to produce the brew. The beer was used in ceremonies and drank by the nobles of the Wari Empire. Further north in what is now New Mexico, it is apparent that the Pueblo Indians brewed their own beer from corn. Archaeologists have found 800 year old pots containing residue similar to that produced by fermenting beer. While this pocket of Pueblo Indians was surrounded by beer-making tribes in the American Southwest, historians did not believe they had any alcohol prior to this discovery. The surrounding tribes produced a beer called tiswin by fermenting kernels of corn, and this beer is still brewed by some today. However, there is not concrete proof that the Pueblo Indians of the past intentionally fermented the corn in the pots. It could have been accidental fermentation, but it seems likely that these ancient natives were brewing beer.
Since any substance containing sugars or starches can ferment naturally, it is probable that many ancient civilizations stumbled upon the brewing of beer. In ancient China, a beer-like substance called Kyui was brewed up to 6,000 years ago. Many Asian rice-wines, such as sake, are brewed and fermented in a fashion that resembles that of beer production more than that of wine production. Neolithic Europe is believed to have brewed beer as far back as 3,000 BCE. Beer has a rich, expansive history worthy of study. While the production of bread is often argued to be the reason mankind was able to develop technology and create civilization, beer is extremely similar to bread in both origin and production. Beer should not be overlooked when surveying ancient civilizations. In fact, it should be studied to fully grasp its impact on various societies. The similarities found in beer production across the ancient world are quite striking. For instance, in all the societies surveyed here, women were the primary brewers, and it seems likely that their job doing so boosted their social standing. Furthermore, beer served various religious and cultural functions in many ancient societies. In some regions of Mexico and Arizona tiswin is still brewed, proving that ancient beers stood the test of time and helped shape what we drink in the present day. By studying the history of beer and its impact on various cultures worldwide, one can learn much more than where a Budweiser or a Heineken came from. Rather, one can learn the rich cultural roots embedded within their bottle of beer, possibly illuminating why this particular beverage is the third most popular worldwide.
 
Works Cited
Britt, Rob R. "Elite Women Made Beer in Pre-Incan Culture." LiveScience.com. 14 Nov. 2005. Web. 20 Mar. 2012. <http://www.livescience.com/485-elite-women-beer-pre-incan-culture.html>.
Dornbusch, Horst. "Beer: The Midwife of Civilization." Assyrian International News Agency. 27 Aug. 2006. Web. 20 Mar. 2012. <http://www.aina.org/ata/20060827151956.htm>.
"Early Writing Tablet Recording the Allocation of Beer." British Museum. Web. 20 Mar. 2012. <http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/me/t/tablet,_allocation_of_beer.aspx>.
Hill, J. "Beer in Ancient Egypt." Ancient Egypt Society: Beer. Ancient Egypt Online. Web. 20 Mar. 2012. <http://www.ancientegyptonline.co.uk/beer.html>.
Seawright, Caroline. "Ancient Egyptian Alcohol." K4W Foundation. 12 Mar. 2001. Web. 20 Mar. 2012. <http://www.thekeep.org/~kunoichi/kunoichi/themestream/egypt_alcohol.html>.
Whipps, Heather. "Beer Brewed Long Ago by Native Americans." LiveScience.com. 28 Dec. 2007. Web. 20 Mar. 2012. <http://www.livescience.com/4770-beer-brewed-long-native-americans.html>.
