Sumerian beer?

The Sumerians had a liking for a fermented cereal drink made from barley and wheat - but was it beer!
This article from Physorg.com looks at the latest archaeological and scientific evidence regarding the popular drink 

And while on the theme of beer, here is an article from LiveScience website, "Sex, beer and politics: riddles reveal life of ancient Mesopotamians" for a look at some cuneiform texts recording exchanges that might have taken place during a rowdy night out in ancient Babylon!

New book in the SOAS ANE collection

Listening to the artifacts : music culture in ancient Palestine by Theodore Burgh

Shelved at QO781.7 / 740318 [Level B, StackS 22-24]

This book examines the use of music and musical instruments in ancient Israel and Palestine, offering reconstructions of the instruments played and the social context of musical performance

CONNECT TO THE LIBRARY CATALOGUE

Reading Akkadian prayers and hymns: open access e-book

SOAS Library has a copy of Reading Akkadian prayers and hymns : an introduction (edited by Alan Lenzi) on order, but the Society of Biblical Literature has made this publication freely available as an open-access PDF text.
Click HERE to go to the Library catalogue where a link to the e-book has been added to the record

"Slaves" in Babylonian society

Linda Glaser's article from www.physorg.com looks at the role of servile labourers in Babylonian society as discussed in Jonathan Tenney's new book "Life at the bottom of Babylonian society: servile labourers at Nippur in the 14th and 13th centuries BC"

Find the book in SOAS Library at QE935 / 751918.
Click HERE to link to the Library catalogue