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12-05-2015, 09:31

THE GODDESS NINKASI

The Sumerians considered brewing to be so important that they put it in the charge of the goddess Ninkasi, 'fhe Lady who fills the mouth”. Brewing was the only profession in Mesopotamia to be watched over by a female deity. Ninkasi was also known as the ''Lady of the inebriating fruiC and was credited with being the mother of nine children, who were all named after intoxicating drinks, or the effects of drinking them; such names translated as "the boaster'”, "the brawler'' or "he of frightening speech". Mythologically speaking, Ninkasi lived on the fictional Mount Sabu, which means either "the mount of the taverner” or "the mount of retailing".

“Recipes” for beer have been found which date back to around 2800 BC, some of which are too fragmented to be intelligible. In essence, these are not proper recipes, but are economic texts (temple accounts), which document the type and amount of grain issued to brewers, and the amount of beer that was received in return. They, therefore, tell us what went into beer, and the ratios involved. One of the best studied “recipes” is to be found on the tablet that was originally interpreted by Hartman and Oppenheim, and which was later the subject of Civil’s classic paper. As indicated previously, the tablet dates to around 1800 BC, and in effect, is a carefully constructed hymn to Ninkasi. Some years later, Katz and Maytag (1991) had the tablet thoroughly reassessed and reinterpreted by Civil, and, even though the Hymn is not a practical text, they used the encoded information contained therein as a basis for brewing a “genuine” Mesopotamian beer. It is interesting to note that the Hymn does not cover all aspects of the manufacture of beer, and in particular, does not make any reference to malting, something that is in accordance with Lutz’s contention that, despite what has been said before, preparation of malt was not a part of Mesopotamian brewing technology. The Hymn to Ninkasi runs as follows:

Borne of the flowing water (...),

Tenderly cared for by the Ninhursag,

Borne of the flowing water (...),

Tenderly cared for by the Ninhursag,

Having founded your town by the sacred lake,

She finished its great walls for you,

Ninkasi, having founded your town by the sacred lake.

She finished its great walls for you,

Your father is Enki, Lord Nidimmud,

Your mother is Ninti, the queen of the sacred lake,

Ninkasi, your father is Enki, Lord Nidimmud,

Your mother is Ninti, the queen of the sacred lake,

You are the one who handles the dough [and] with a big shovel, Mixing in a pit, the bappir with sweet aromatics.

Ninkasi, you are the one who handles the dough [and] with a big shovel, Mixing in a pit, the bappir with [date] - honey.

You are the one who bakes the bappir in the big oven.

Puts in order the piles of hulled grains,

Ninkasi, you are the one who bakes the bappir in the big oven.

Puts in order the piles of hulled grains.

You are the one who waters the malt set on the ground.

The noble dogs keep away even the potentates,

Ninkasi, you are the one who waters the malt set on the ground.

The noble dogs keep away even the potentates.

You are the one who soaks the malt in a jar.

The waves rise, the waves fall,

Ninkasi, you are the one who soaks the malt in a jar.

The waves rise, the waves fall.

You are the one who spreads the cooked mash on large reed mats.

Coolness overcomes,

Ninkasi, you are the one who spreads the cooked mash on large reed mats. Coolness overcomes.

You are the one who holds with both hands the great sweet wort.

Brewing [it] with honey [and] wine

( You the sweet wort to the vessel)

Ninkasi, (. . .),

( You the sweet wort to the vessel)

The filtering vat, which makes a pleasant sound.

You place appropriately on [top of] a large collector vat.

Ninkasi, the filtering vat, which makes a pleasant sound.

You place appropriately on [top of] a large collector vat.

When you pour out the filtered beer of the collector vat.

It is [like[ the onrush of Tigris and Euphrates.

Ninkasi, you are the one who pours out the filtered beer of the collector vat. It is [like[ the onrush of Tigris and Euphrates.



 

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