120 Lutz, Viticulture and Brewing. 



or bronze cups is wrong. Joseph i, we are told, had a whie 

 goblet wrought of silver, while golden cups are mentioned in 

 the demotic novel (Papyr. Mariette), "and they had set down 

 many golden cups ^ on the drinking-table. Each of the golden 

 goblets was filled with wine". Also Papyrus Harris pi. 6 mentions 

 vessels of gold for wine and beer. Amongst the many jugs and 



bowls, there have been found particularly often the , "' 



N^ (1 p, , S''\t-irp, i. e., "wine-cup" 3. Wine-cups were 



often made of alabaster, porcelain, and perhaps also, judging 

 from the pictures, of glass. They had either the form of an 

 opening flower, which was held in a stand, or contained, like 

 the Assyrian representation, heads of animals, or birds, from 

 whose necks they drank (see Illustration No. 29). A simpler drink- 

 ing-vessel had the form of our own coffee-cups or saucers (see Illu- 

 stration No. 30). These latter forms seem to have been most custo- 

 mary with the Syrian neighbors of the Assyrians. In one monu- 

 ment we see representatives of conquered Semitic principalities 

 bringing their tribute of wine in such bowls, while one bears a 

 wineskin on his neck and shoulder (see Illustration No. 31 ; see also 

 the drinking-scene on the Stele of Nerab', Illustration No. 32). 

 The Assyrians also had musical entertainments with their drink- 

 ing bouts, as is seen in the banqueting scene of Khorsabad. 

 Two players are playing on ten-stringed h-res, Avhich were 

 of a square shape, and hung around the neck of the musician 

 by a string. Among the high court-officials we meet with the 

 rab sage, chief-cup-bearer", or "chief butler" and the j-ab bap- 

 piri, "chief- brewer". These titles were rather honorary, since 

 we find the rab sage employed as military commander, f. i., 

 II Kings 18, 17 "And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and 

 Rab-saris and Rab-shakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah 



i) Gen. 44, 2, 5. 



2) (j )J r)>BB<c^ ' '-^^ '^ '''^' ^* wine-cups "made of gold", see Diim., 



Recueil de mon. Egypt. II, 10, 59. 



3) This -word represents at the same time a certain measure. On 



I (determ. =^ or }), "wine-cup", see Burchardt, M., Die alt- 



kanaanaischen Fremdworte und Eigennamen im Agyptischen ,'L.\^z\g, 1909 10, 106. 



\ 



