Plaque Showing Banqueters
Gypsum
Early Dynastic IIIa, ca. 2600-2500 B.C.
Khafajah, Sin Temple IX.
Excavated by the Oriental Institute, 1933-34
OIM A12417

Plaques such as this one were part of a door-locking system for important buildings in ancient Mesopotamia. The plaque was embedded into the doorjamb and then a peg was inserted into the hole. A hook or cord wrapped around the peg was covered with clay and secured the door.

Plaques like this give us glimpses of daily life in ancient Mesopotamia. In the top section a seated man and woman celebrate an event or ritual by participating in a banquet. Two servants wait on them while other servants bring an animal to be slaughtered, a jar that is probably filled with beer, and more food for the feast. Musicians and dancers in the bottom section add to the festivities.

While this plaque shows a well-to-do-family, all the people of ancient Mesopotamia loved to eat! Poorer families seldom had meat, whereas wealthier families ate it regularly. Beef, lamb, pork, goat, ducks, and geese were the meats of choice. Fish, turtles, and shellfish were plentiful in the rivers and canals. Barley and wheat were the staple foods. Grain was crushed and cooked as porridge or ground into flour and baked as unleavened bread. Fruits, oils, juices, and honey were added to the basic recipe and varied the recipe so much that there were more than 300 Mesopotamian words for bread. Barley was also used to make beer, the staple beverage. Locust swarms caused problems by destroying crops, but they were also skewered, roasted, and enjoyed as a tasty delicacy!