Archaeologists find 5,000-year-old Sumerian 'fridge'

(ANSA) - ROME, FEB 23 - A team of Italian and American archaeologists have discovered at a southern Iraq site what is believed to have been a sort of refrigerator used for keeping food cool and conserving it in ancient Sumeria 5,000 years ago.
    The discovery of the 'tavern' was made at the site of the capital of one of the most important Mesopotamian city states, ancient Lagash, at present day Tell al-Hiba.
    Archaeologists from Pisa university and Pennsylvania University have found what they have described as an open-air eating area with benches, an oven, food conservation containers, remains of ancient food and the so-called 'fridge' called a 'zeer', an Arab term describing the 'vase-in-a-vase' technique of preserving food and drink against the heat.
    The 2,700 BC inn has been found just 50 centimetres from the surface at Tell al-Hiba.
    "The discovery sheds new light on the study of diet and cooking in Mesopotamia, hitherto largely known and examined via texts, which however do not cover the oldest periods of the Sumerians," said Sara Pizzimenti, a lecturer in archaeology and history of near east art at the university of Pisa.
    "Inside a public place for the production, distribution and consumption of meals, which probably took place in the large courtyard with benches, around a hundred bowls with food remains have been found together with devices for the conservation of food and drink".
    photo: Iraqi National Museum in Baghdad (ANSA).