Starting with the oldest evidence of ancient wine production in Georgia, David showed "kvevris" or ancient clay amphorae without handles (6000 BC) and silver cups found in tombs. Wine-making in Georgia today still follows the immemorial rural tradition using "kvevris". As claimed by the Persian poet Abdul Qàsem Firdausi (c. 940-1020 AD, Iran), the author of the Shahnama (Book of Kings) wine was consumed in ancient Iranian territories for millennia and people of the region knew wine even before the discovery of fire. Moving to Mesopotamia, we admired the Sumerian depiction of a victory on "The Standard of Ur" (2.700 BC, wooden panels inlaid with shell, lapis lazuli and red clay) today in the British Museum. One of the panels represents the aftermath of a victorious battle with the king relaxing, drinking with his nobles, listening to harp and song. From the First Dynasty of Babylon (1790-1750 BC) the "Stele of Hammurabi" (Susa 1760 BC), a black basalt stele is capped by a relief sculpture of Hammurabi receiving the inspiration for the laws from the flame-shouldered sun god, Shamash, seated on a mountain and holding the symbols of divine power. The lower part of the basalt monolith, the cuneiform "Code of Hammurabi (1760 power BC) includes conditional sentences in case temple priestesses enter manic states because pf ethylene intoxication.
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(Courtesy of Andrée Rolla)
Next Lecture
Monday, 20th June at 20h00
The Last Supper in Pompeii
with Dr Paul Roberts
This lecture had to be cancelled during the pandemic, but Dr. Paul Roberts enjoys the immediate contact of face to face meetings, and will take you on a visit to the fertile vine-filled slopes of Vesuvius, exploring how Roman ideas and customs on food caught on in Roman Britain.
Come along and bring a friend! You will not be disappointed.
Our lecturer has a very interesting story to tell!
Report on TAS Community Grant Project:
On 5 May 2022, Adisa the Verbalizer, a performance poet based in the UK, performed virtually for two 88-minute sessions for secondary students at Brussels American School. After his interactive performance, during which students were enthusiastically engaged, he held a poetry writing workshop providing students with the opportunity to write their own poems and then present them to the group at large. Committee members of the Arts Society Brussels were in attendance during the first session and were quite impressed at the level of involvement of the students and the expertise of the presenter. (Judi Nicolay, Teacher).
Nathalie Arsenow, one of our members, will be exhibiting at the Gemeenschapscentrum Kontakt from May 13-27 www.gckontakt.be/activiteiten/vernissage-en-feest.
We look forward to seeing you again.
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