Question 3: Reflect on our Monday lecture and our Field Study and discuss the importance of Barley to mankind, both historically and now.
Barley is one of the oldest and most important grains. Existing in a symbiotic relationship with mankind, it has held religious and cultural importance as a provider of food and drink throughout the levant and other lands. This cereal grain is a source of bread products and more importantly, the key ingredient to beer.
Beer: a meal in a glass, a warming brew which breathed life and excitement into humanity. Like all of the early discoveries (for man did not invent, but rather discovered beer) most likely occurred by accident. While the method of brewing has not changed much over the past few centuries, a modern brew-master would be completely lost if forced to brew a batch of a Sumerian Lugal’s (king) favorite ale. Both the class lectures and the readings flushed out the details of ancient brewing through the making barley bread and natural fermentation.
However much the processes and supplementary ingredients have changed, one thing has remained constant throughout. Barley still reigns supreme in the world of beer. The quintessential malting agent which brings sugar, and hence alcohol to beer, barley is a cereal grain vital in humanities early growth.
From early prehistory till the advent of safe and secure water supplies in the twentieth century, the fermentation of barley allowed humanity to live in close quarters with each other and their livestock by providing a sanitary and nutritious drink. This was absolutely necessary, as cities were notorious as the epicenters of contagious outbreaks. Men women and children all consumed beer regularly, it was even used as pay in some ancient cultures.
In addition to beer, barley is a staple grain for many people today. Barley flour provides nutrition to a large percentage of humanity, this is because it is hardier and can grow in environments in which other cereal grains (wheat, rice, and corn) are unable to thrive.
Unless humanity suddenly abandons alcohol and climate change completely transforms the environment, barley will remain as it always has a key building block of man’s diet.
Sources:
Images:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barley#mediaviewer/File:Various_grains.jpg 
You say that beer has held strong religious importance over time... Can you give an example of a religion utilizing beer in its practice of worship?
ReplyDeleteWell, I don't know the actual practices. But since there are ancient middle eastern gods and goddesses of beer, it must have been involved in their religious practices.
ReplyDelete