Four thousand years ago a song was composed in ancient Babylonia that preserves the oldest recorded recipe for how to brew beer. In 2024 archaeologist Tate Paulette (NCSU) published a book on the topic of beer in Babylonia – In the Land of Ninkasi – offering an authoritative but informal account of the world’s first great beer culture. It introduces readers to the beers of the past, the people who brewed them and drank them, the taverns, temples and tombs where they did their drinking, the stories they told about beer, their preferred styles of drinking, their brewing equipment, their beer paraphernalia, and the beer-loving deities who governed their lives. With the help of his book, Yale students have been working on recreating the ancient recipe together with a team of local brewers, biologists, and ancient historians. At this unique public event, the Yale Peabody Museum opens its doors on a presentation and book signing by Paulette, followed by a beer tasting (valid ID required) of the reconstructed brews. The tasting is accompanied by a light fare of snacks.
The event is sponsored by Yale Peabody Museum, Yale Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, and The Franke Program in Science and the Humanities.