Image: Third millennium plaque depicting the goddess Nina.

Over the holidays, we took a break from posting our findings from the art world on Saturdays. Today we pick up the pattern again and shift our focus. Last year we followed the thread of still-life paintings, mostly focused on Europe. Our new topic, still related to food, is feasts, meals, and banquets. We’ll see how far this idea takes us.

For today, it takes us to ancient Iraq and this plaque found in an archeological dig in Nippur, Iraq. It is part of the finds of a dig sponsored by the University of Pennsylvania between 1889 and 1900. The university museum website offers this description:

“Only the top left corner of a perforated plaque which was probably in two registrers: This shows the goddess Nina, seated on a goose and holding a fish in her right hand; behind her stand two worshippers, one holding a horned animal; before her is a tripod supporting an offering table.”

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While we wait for Fiola Mare to install goose thrones when we return to capacity dining (hopefully) later this year, you can support all kinds of restaurants with take-out and delivery. Our humble site has about 300 D.C. recommended restaurants in our dining guide, displayed in either LIST or MAP format. You can sort by cuisine, neighborhood, and current status.

Stay safe. Wear a mask. Tip Big!