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The Standard of Ur

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Dining is a social event and often has purposes beyond simply satisfying hunger and quenching thirst. It can be used to mark festivals or events, to demonstrate the wealth, power and good taste of the host and to create a sense of identity within social groups. A dining event may involve people other than the guests and their host and may include activities such as conversation, games, formal speeches or rituals, music and other entertainments.

Nebamun feast

Nebamun_feast

Twenty images of a wall painting showing a feast in honour of the ancient Egyptian official Nebamun; around 1350 BC.

See more See more: http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=119660&partId=1&people=99952&object=19796&page=1

Athenian symposium

Athenian_symposium

This Athenian wine cup shows symposium scenes with music, drinking, dance and the serving of wine; 490 – 480 BC.

See more See more: http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details/collection_image_gallery.aspx?assetId=277187&objectId=399223&partId=1#more-views

Ashurbanipal dining

Ashurbanipal_dining

King Ashurbanipal dining in a garden; relief sculpture from Assyria in present-day Iraq; 7th century BC.

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Courtauld bag

Courtauld_bag

A dining scene on the Courtauld bag which probably belonged to a Mongol noblewoman; made in Mosul, in present-day Iraq, AD 13001330. This website from the Courtauld Gallery allows you to zoom in on details of the decoration. Image © The Samuel Courtauld Trust, The Courtauld Gallery, London.

See more See more: http://www.courtauld.ac.uk/GALLERY/exhibitions/2014/Court-and-Craft/details-descriptions/index.shtml

Japanese party

Edo_party

A party scene in a fashionable restaurant in Edo (Tokyo), Japan; by Kubo Shunman, AD 178788. The separate pages give the best detail.

See more See more: http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=780078&partId=1&searchText=royal+banquet&images=true&&&&&&&&&&&&&people=&place=&from=ad&fromDate=&to=ad&toDate=&object=&subject=&matcult=&technique=&school=&material=ðname=&ware=&escape=&bibliography=&citation=&museumno=&catalogueOnly=&view=&page=1
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The Standard of Ur