Work is the Curse of the Drinking Class: Beer, Labor and Class in Ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt

The archaeology of beer has received significant attention in the last three decades. However, many studies focus on the special role that beer played in sumptuous prestige feasts and for conducting commensal politics, with an emphasis on elite motivations. In this paper, I view the production of beer as a cornerstone of state exploitation in the early states of Egypt and Mesopotamia. I will briefly outline the archaeological and glyptic evidence for beer production in the early historic periods of the ancient Near East, and its role in providing for the workforce of the early state. The consumption of beer as payment for state-sponsored labor projects changes the commensal dynamics of society. Repeatedly consuming daily rations of beer at the location of labor creates an identity as worker and subject; that is, as one who works for someone else for their subsistence. In this sense, beer may have been crucial in creating class identity for the worker, as well as providing the means of control for the elites in society who organized its production and distribution.