Ellen Lloyd - AncientPages.com - The Sumerian goddess of beer and alcohol, Ninkasi, was revered across ancient Mesopotamia, a fertile land nestled between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which stretched into present-day Iraq and parts of southwestern Iran, southeastern Turkey, and northeastern Syria.
Archaeologists have unearthed ceramic vessels from 3400 B.C. still sticky with beer residue, and 1800 B.C.’s “Hymn to Ninkasi”—an ode to the Sumerian goddess of beer—describes a recipe for a beloved ancient brew made by female priestesses. Public Domain
Considering how much people have always enjoyed alcoholic beverages, one can safely assume that Ninkasi was a beloved deity in the Mesopotamian pantheon.
Beer Was A Gift From A Goddess
In Mesopotamia, beer was considered a sacred drink, and, like most ancient civilizations, the Sumerians regarded it as a gift from a goddess rather than a male god. Why humans received this particular gift is uncertain.
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See also:
Mesopotamian God Nabu Inscribed The Human Fates Determined By The Gods
