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“At night I will stay awake and guard you; in the daytime I will give you milk,” said the goddess Mullissu to Ashurbanipal when he was still crown prince.
But what about the humans who stayed awake, stood guard, and gave milk? Thread on breastfeeding in ancient Mesopotamia
But what about the humans who stayed awake, stood guard, and gave milk? Thread on breastfeeding in ancient Mesopotamia
Quick disclaimer that this is a thread about historical sources presented without judgement and 100% without implications for modern parenting.
Fed is best, and in case you need to hear it, you’re doing a great job
Fed is best, and in case you need to hear it, you’re doing a great job
Representations of babies and children being breastfed survive from ancient Mesopotamia, including ones from as early as a thousand years before writing was developed.
Here’s one from the Ubaid Period.
Photo: @OsamaSMAmin
Here’s one from the Ubaid Period.
Photo: @OsamaSMAmin
Two Old Babylonian plaques (c2000-1600 BCE) from the ancient city of Ur in southern Iraq show an infant being nursed
A small figurine from ancient Nippur shows a baby being nursed.
https://www.penn.museum/collections/object/34886
https://www.penn.museum/collections/object/34886
A 7th century BCE relief from the ancient Assyrian palace at Nineveh shows a mass deportation.
Thousands of people were forcibly (and carefully) relocated, including these two who breastfed while making their journey.
Thousands of people were forcibly (and carefully) relocated, including these two who breastfed while making their journey.
Lots of factors can affect one’s ability or decision to breastfeed.
In some of these cases thousands of years ago in ancient Mesopotamia, you could turn to a wet nurse.
In some of these cases thousands of years ago in ancient Mesopotamia, you could turn to a wet nurse.
Wet nursing contracts from ancient Babylonia can tell us a bit about breastfeeding practices.
Contracts from the time of king Hammurabi in the 18th century BCE employ a wet nurse for 3 years
Contracts from the time of king Hammurabi in the 18th century BCE employ a wet nurse for 3 years
“Huzalatum the naditum of Shamash gave her daughter to Dubabatum and Buriya to be nursed.”
A naditum was a kind of votary consecrated to the city deity—in this case the sun god Shamash in Sippar c1750 BCE. She could adopt children, including a baby who would have needed nursing
A naditum was a kind of votary consecrated to the city deity—in this case the sun god Shamash in Sippar c1750 BCE. She could adopt children, including a baby who would have needed nursing
What was the salary of a wet nurse in ancient Babylonia?
In some cases, an allowance of barley, oil, and wool for the duration of nursing. In others, silver shekels like Huzalatum who paid Dubabatum and Buriya 4 shekels of silver (for) food and clothing for 3 years as a fee
In some cases, an allowance of barley, oil, and wool for the duration of nursing. In others, silver shekels like Huzalatum who paid Dubabatum and Buriya 4 shekels of silver (for) food and clothing for 3 years as a fee
A baby boy named Naram-sharur was given by his parents to a couple, Eribam and Zirpa, to nurse for 3 years.
“They have received in full the barley, oil, and wool allowance for 3 years,” reads the contract. https://cdli.ucla.edu/P366266
“They have received in full the barley, oil, and wool allowance for 3 years,” reads the contract. https://cdli.ucla.edu/P366266
People in ancient Mesopotamia could also be paid both for nursing and the “upbringing” of an infant, like the 7 shekels paid in this contract from ancient Ur https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/W_1953-0411-75
Though the exact function of law collections from Mesopotamia is unclear, one from ancient Eshnunna specifies that failure to pay a wet nurse her food, clothing, and oil rations incurs a punitive fee of 10 shekels.
Wet nurses also worked in the palace, like Zamena who identifies herself as the wet nurse of queen Uqnitum of Urkesh in seal inscriptions.
Here she is front and centre, wearing a fringed garment and holding the hand of a child in the queen’s lap
Here she is front and centre, wearing a fringed garment and holding the hand of a child in the queen’s lap
Some wet nurses were called ummu “mother”, like that of Princess Beltum of ancient Mari who lived in the early second millennium BCE.
“Beltum’s ummu…has reared her since Beltum was a child and she knows her will.”
“Beltum’s ummu…has reared her since Beltum was a child and she knows her will.”
In the Sumerian "Lament for Sumer and Ur" that tells a tale of destruction, a storm gathers to “strike like a flood” so that among other losses, like dead cattle and dried out waterways, “the wet nurse should not sing lullabies”
This thread has been about people, but goddesses breastfeed too like Nintur, a mother goddess.
"For you Nintur has opened wide her creative hands; she has breast-fed you from her sweet breasts; she has fed you with the milk of vigour." ...But that's a topic for another day
"For you Nintur has opened wide her creative hands; she has breast-fed you from her sweet breasts; she has fed you with the milk of vigour." ...But that's a topic for another day
Breastfeeding, wet nursing, motherhood of various kinds in ancient Mesopotamia live on through the artefacts that have survived to tell these stories—from little figurines to legal contracts.
I hope you found this short exploration of those experiences interesting
I hope you found this short exploration of those experiences interesting
