Hostname: page-component-7479d7b7d-8zxtt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-16T01:14:25.479Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Diet in Mesopotamia: The Evidence of the Barley Ration Texts (c. 3000–1400 B.C.)*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 August 2014

Rosemary Ellison
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

In order to live one must eat and if one is to live a full and active life the food that is eaten must supply all the nutrients required to maintain the body in a healthy state. An appreciation of the importance of diet has led to many modern studies in this field. The methods used include an examination of the environment of the country concerned; of its economic basis—for example whether it is mainly an agricultural or an industrial country, what food is available and whether such food is locally grown or imported; dietary surveys, usually at family level, of the food intake of the population and clinical studies to assess the health of the individual. The information gained in these surveys is used to assess the adequacy of the nutritional intake of the population. It has proved difficult to set up an accepted standard by which to judge adequacy of diet, but the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations has produced tables of recommended daily intakes of nutrients which can be taken as a practical guide.

Some of these methods can be applied to ancient Mesopotamia in order to see whether the diet there can be considered adequate. Examination of the palaeoethnobotanical and palaeozoological evidence from excavated sites, together with references in cuneiform texts and representations of plants and animals on cylinder seals and reliefs, give information about the environment and the economic base. This was agriculture with cereals such as barley and wheat as the main crops and sheep, goats, cattle and pigs the main domesticated animals. Clinical studies of individual people are not possible: obviously no one is available for measuring and weighing or to supply blood and urine samples for tests! It may be, however, that the study of skeletal material will in future enable the likely height and weight of a population to be calculated and provide some information about calcium and Vitamin D deficiencies. It is impossible also to carry out the kind of dietary survey in which families are studied and their food weighed before eating so that exact food intake can be calculated. But by studying the botanical and faunal remains, cylinder seals and reliefs, and the cuneiform texts, it is possible to get some idea of the range of food which was available, which foodstuffs were utilized and how, and to a certain extent who ate what.

Type
Research Article
Information
IRAQ , Volume 43 , Issue 1 , Spring 1981 , pp. 35 - 45
Copyright
Copyright © The British Institute for the Study of Iraq 1981 

Footnotes

*

Article based on part of an unpublished Ph.D. thesis, A Study in Diet in Mesopotamia (c. 3000–600 B.C.) and associated agricultural techniques and methods of food production (University of London, 1978).

References

Barnett, R. D. and Forman, W., no date. Assyrian Palace Reliefs and their Influence on the Sculptures of Babylon and Persia. (London, Batchworth Press).Google Scholar
Bauer, U., 1972. Altsumerische Wirtschaftstexte aus Lagasch. Studia Pohl 9 (Rome, Biblical Institute Press).Google Scholar
Birot, M., 1960. Textes administratifs de la Salle 5 du Palais, Archives royales de Mari IX (Paris, Imprimerie Nationale).Google Scholar
Birot, M., 1964. Textes administratifs de la Salle 5 du Palais (Part 2), Archives royales de Mari XII (Paris: Ministère des Affaires Étrangères).Google Scholar
Bottéro, J., 1957. Textes économiques et administratifs, Archives royales de Mari VII (Paris, Imprimerie Nationale).Google Scholar
Burke, M., 1963. Textes administratifs de la Salle 3 du Palais, Archives royales de Mari XI (Paris, Paul Geuthner).Google Scholar
Clark, C. and Haswell, M., 1970. The Economy of Subsistence Agriculture (London and Basingstoke, Macmillan and Co. Ltd.).Google Scholar
Clay, A. T., 1906. Documents from the Temple archives of Nippur dated in the reign of Cassite rulers. Babylonian Expedition of the University of Pennsylvania XIV (Philadelphia).Google Scholar
Dalley, S., Walker, C. B. F. and Hawkins, J. D., 1976. The Old Babylonian Tablets from Tell al Rimah (London, British School of Archaeology in Iraq).Google Scholar
Davidson, S. Sir, Passmore, R. and Brock, J. F., 1972. Human Nutrition and Dietetics (Edinburgh and London, Churchill Livingstone).Google Scholar
Deimel, A., 1925. “Die altsumerische Baumwirtschaft.” Orientalia 16: 1–87.Google Scholar
Deimel, A., 1928. “Die Lohnlisten aus der Zeit Urukaginas und seines Vorgängers.” Orientalia 34/35: 41–128.Google Scholar
Deimel, A., 1931. Sumerische Tempelwirtschaft zur zeit Urukaginas und seines Vorgängers. Analecta Orientalia 2 (Rome, Pontificio Istituto Biblico).Google Scholar
Dossin, G., 1951. Correspondence de Šamši-Addu et de ses fils (II) Archives royales de Mari IV (Paris, Imprimerie Nationale).Google Scholar
Ellison, R., 1978. A Study of Diet in Mesopotamia (c. 3000-600 B.C.) and Associated Agricultural Techniques and Methods of Food Production. Unpublished Ph.D. thesis, Institute of Archaeology, University of London.Google Scholar
Ellison, R., Renfrew, J., Brothwell, D. and Seeley, N., 1978. “Some Food offerings from Ur, excavated by Sir Leonard Woolley, and previously unpublished.” Journal of Archaeological Science 5: 167–177.Google Scholar
Figulla, H. H., 1953. “Accounts concerning allocation of provisions for offerings in the Ningal Temple at Ur.” Iraq 15: 88–122, 171–92.Google Scholar
Frankfort, H., 1965. Cylinder Seals (London, Macmillan 1939, reprinted Gregg Press).Google Scholar
Gelb, I. J., 1961. Sargonic Texts from the Diyala Region. Materials for the Assyrian Dictionary I (Chicago, University of Chicago Press).Google Scholar
Gelb, I. J., 1965a. “The Ancient Mesopotamian ration system.” Journal of Near Eastern Studies 24: 230–43.Google Scholar
Gelb, I. J., 1965b. “The Philadelphia onion archive.” In Studies in Honor of Benno Landsberger, Assyriological Studies 16: 57–70.Google Scholar
Genouillac, H. de, 1909. Tablettes Sumeriennes Archaiques (Paris, Geuthner).Google Scholar
Hall, H. R. and Woolley, C. L., 1927. Al 'Ubaid. Ur Excavations I. (London and Philadelphia, Joint Publication of the British Museum and the University Museum).Google Scholar
Hartman, L. and Oppenheim, A. L., 1950. “On beer and brewing techniques in ancient Mesopotamia.” Journal of the American Oriental Society Supplement no. 10.Google Scholar
Helbaek, H., 1960. “Ancient crops in the Shahrizor Valley in Iraqi Kurdistan.” Sumer 16: 79–81.Google Scholar
Helbaek, H., 1963. “Isin Larsa and Hurrian food remains at Tell Bazmosian in the Dokan Valley.” Sumer 19: 27–35.Google Scholar
Helbaek, H., 1966. “The plant remains from Nimrud.” In Mallowan, M. E. L., Nimrud and its Remains (London, Collins), 613–20.Google Scholar
Hilzheimer, M., 1941. Animal remains from Tell Asmar. Studies in Ancient Oriental Civilization 20 (Chicago, University of Chicago Press).Google Scholar
Hrozny, B., 1913. Das Getreide im alten Babylonien (Vienna, Kaiserliche Akademia der Wissenschaften).Google Scholar
Jones, T. B. and Snyder, J. W., 1961. Sumerian Economic Texts from 3rd Ur Dynasty (Minneapolis, University of Minnesota Press).Google Scholar
Kang, S. T. 1973. Sumerian Economic Texts from the Umma Archive II (Chicago, University of Illinois Press).Google Scholar
Kinnier Wilson, J. V., 1966. “Leprosy in ancient Mesopotamia.” Revue d'assyriologie 60: 47:58.Google Scholar
Kinnier Wilson, J. V., 1967. “Organic diseases of ancient Mesopotamia.” In Diseases in Antiquity (eds. Brothwell, D. and Sandison, A. F., Springfield (Illinois), Charles C. Thomas), 191–208.Google Scholar
Lacheman, E. R., 1939. “Epigraphic evidence of the material culture of the Nuzians.” In Starr, R. F., Nuzi-report on the Excavations at Torgan Tepe (Cambridge, Harvard University Press), 528–44.Google Scholar
Lacheman, E. R., 1950. Excavations at Nuzi V, Miscellaneous texts from Nuzi, Part II, Palaces and temple archive . Harvard Semitic Series XIV.Google Scholar
Layard, H. Sir, 1853. Monuments of Nineveh II (London, John Murray).Google Scholar
Leemans, W. F., 1954. Legal and Economic Records from the Kingdom of Larsa. Studia ad tabulas cuneiformes collectas a F.M.Th. de Liagre Böhl pertinentia 1/2 (Leiden, Brill).Google Scholar
Leemans, W. F., 1960. Legal and Administrative Documents of the time of Hammurabi and Samsuiluna. Studia ad tabulas cuneiformes collectas a F.M. Th. de Liagre Böhl pertinentia 1/3 (Leiden, Brill).Google Scholar
Legrain, L., 1947. Business Documents of the Third Dynasty of Ur. Ur Excavation Texts III (London and Philadelphia, Joint Publication of the British Museum and the University of Pennsylvania).Google Scholar
Loretz, O., 1969. “Texte aus Chagar Bazar.” In lišan mithurti, Festschrift Von Soden (eds. Dietrich, M. and Röllig, W.), Alter Orient und Altes Testament I (Neukirchen-Vluyn, Neukirchener, and Kevelaer, Butzen and Bercker), 199–260.Google Scholar
Maekawa, K., 1973–1974. “The Development of the É.Mí in Lagas, during the Early Dynastic III.” Mesopotamia 8/9: 77–144.Google Scholar
Meek, T. J., 1935. Old Akkadian, Sumerian and Cappadocian Texts from Nuzi. Harvard Semitic Series X.Google Scholar
Myhrman, D. W., 1910. Sumerian Administrative Documents, dated in the Reign of Kings of the Second Dynasty of Ur. Babylonian Expedition Texts III/I (Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania).Google Scholar
Oppenheim, A. L., 1948. Catalogue of the Cuneiform Tablets of the Wilberforce Eames Collection in the New York Public Library. American Oriental Series 32 (New Haven).Google Scholar
Passmore, R., Rao, M. N. and Nicol, B. M., 1974. Handbook on Human Nutritional Requirements. FAO Nutritional Studies 28 (Rome, FAO).Google Scholar
Pellett, P. L. and Shadarevian, S., 1970: Food Composition—Tables for use in the Middle East (Beirut, American University).Google Scholar
Pfeiffer, R. H. and Lacheman, E., 1942. Excavations at Nuzi IV, Miscellaneous texts from Nuzi, Part II. Harvard Semitic Series XIII.Google Scholar
Pinches, T. G., 1908. The Amherst Tablets (London, Berard Quaritch).Google Scholar
Postgate, J. N., 1978. “An inscribed jar from Tell al Rimah.” Iraq 40: 71–5.Google Scholar
Reisner, G., 1901. Tempelurkunden aus Telloh (Berlin. W. Spemann).Google Scholar
Sollberger, E., 1965. Royal Inscriptions. Ur Excavation Texts VIII (London and Philadelphia, British Museum and University Museum).Google Scholar
Sollberger, E., 1966. Business and Administrative Correspondence of the Kings of Ur. Texts from Cuneiform Sources I (New York, Augustin).Google Scholar
Thompson, R. Campbell, 1949. A Dictionary of Assyrian Botany (London, British Academy).Google Scholar
Thureau-Dangin, F., 1921a. Rituels accadiens (Paris, Leroux).Google Scholar
Thureau-Dangin, F., 1921b. “Numération et métrologie sumériennes.” Revue d'Assyriologie 18: 123–42.Google Scholar
United States Department of Agriculture. 02, 1961. Foreign Agriculture Service. Food Balances in Foreign Countries IV, Estimates in Foreign Countries of Africa and Western Asia. FAS-M 108.Google Scholar
Waines, J. G., 1973. “Plant remains from Tell Taya.” Iraq 35: 185–87.Google Scholar
Westenholz, A., 1975. Early Cuneiform Texts in Jena (Copenhagen, Munksgaard).Google Scholar
Zohary, D. and Spiegel-Roy, P., 1975. “Beginnings of Fruit Growing in the Old World.” Science 31, 01 1975, 187: 319–27.Google Scholar
CAD - The Assyrian Dictionary (Chicago, University of Chicago Press).Google Scholar