Mysterious, long tubes turn out to be the oldest drinking straws ever

The more than 1 meter long tubes are about 5000 years old and were probably used to drink beer.

Archaeologists have finally deciphered the function of eight long, silver and gold tubes. The objects were found in 1897 on the famous Maikop Kurgan burial mound in the Caucasus. This is one of the most famous elite tombs of the Bronze Age, where not only three people are buried, but also hundreds of precious artifacts, including eight mysterious long tubes.

Function

Since the discovery of the enigmatic tubes, scientists have puzzled over their possible function. The tubes are each more than 1 meter long, some of which are decorated with bull figures. Previous research suggested they may have been sceptres, or perhaps poles for a canopy. But it has always been speculation until now.

Schematic representation of the eight gold and silver tubes decorated with bull figures. Image: Viktor Trifonov

In a new study researchers decided to make another frantic attempt. “A turning point was the discovery of barley starch grains in the residue inside,” says study leader Viktor Trifonov. “This immediately provided material evidence that the Maikop Kurgan tubes were used for drinking.”

Oldest drinking straws

It means that researchers finally know what the mysterious, long tubes were used for: they are drinking straws. The finding of the barley starch grains suggests that mainly beer was drunk with the straws. But that’s not even the only special thing. The straws are about 5000 years old. And so these are the oldest straws ever discovered. “If our interpretation is correct, these are the oldest surviving straws to date,” said Trifonov.

Drinking beer through long straws became common in early Mesopotamian civilization from the third millennium BC. We know this because images of long straws have been found on several art objects. These straws were placed in a common barrel so that people around could drink from the barrel together.

Agreements

During the research, Trifonov and his team discovered several important similarities with such straws. It is known, for example, that many straws at that time were equipped with a kind of sieve to filter cloudy particles from the beer. The Maikop straws also appear to have such a sieve. In addition, a large barrel was also found on Maikop Kurgan, which probably held enough beer to make eight drinkers down at least seven pints.

The discovery of the straws sheds new light on the Maykop culture. “The finds contribute to a better understanding of the early beginnings of drinking culture in hierarchical societies,” said Trifonov. In addition, the discovery suggests that drinking ceremonies were also held in the Caucasus. It is known that such ceremonies were often part of “royal” funerals in ancient Sumer. But the fact that straws have now been found on the Maikop burial mound, close to a deceased person, suggests that such lavish burials may have also taken place in the Caucasus. “Before I started this study, I never imagined that the most important artifact I would find in the most famous elite cemetery of the early Bronze Age in the Caucasus is not a weapon or jewelry, but a set of beer straws,” concludes Trifonov.