First Cocktail 5,000 Years Old 258
Praxiteles writes "The first cocktail was...grog?! From the article: 'The first cocktail ever was made in Mesopotamia 5,000 years ago, using wine, beer, apple juice and honey. Patrick McGovern defined the mix as "grog", an archaic drink that in the United States is sold as the Midas Touch'."
I'm wondering... (Score:5, Insightful)
Shouldn't it be earliest found cocktail (Score:2, Insightful)
Still not sure what that mini-article has to do with technology or news for nerds.
Newest Oldest (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Shouldn't it be earliest found cocktail (Score:2, Insightful)
Lil' Zonky Does it Again (Score:3, Insightful)
Go ahead and mod me down, idiot moderators.
Re:Thanks Slashdot (Score:5, Insightful)
Plus the booze angle appeals to the average computer scientist/student
Re:I'm wondering... (Score:5, Insightful)
It's most amazing how conclusively these findings are presented. I guess it doesn't sound as interesting to say "The first cocktail appears to be 5,000 years old and made with these ingredients, based upon current archeological knowledge, which of course is almost certain to change as we uncover more information in the future".
Perhaps I'm a cynic, but I've seen these sort of absolute statements proven wrong countless times.
Mesopotamian Bartender Bible? (Score:2, Insightful)
Plus who stores mixed drinks other than bloody marys? Mix them at the bar and drink them there.
How does he know they were mixed deliberately? (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Wrong moderation! It's a ref to Monkey Island (Score:3, Insightful)
Yep... (Score:2, Insightful)
And hey, if you don't know where you came from, it's hard to know where you're going, right? Now where did I put my martini?
Re:Arrrr! (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Yep... (Score:3, Insightful)
No it's not! (Score:3, Insightful)
Science is authoritative when there is a strong confidence that the theory is correct (such that there is with gravity). Where there isn't that confidence, scientists regularly disclaim their statements, using terminology like "we believe...", or "it appears...". Few scientists immediately proclaim absolute based upon preliminary, or incomplete, information. "Bumble Bees can't fly! News at 11".
This is especially true of archaeology, a field where it is pretty difficult to place vague things like "firsts". To claim a first for something as generalized as an alcoholic drink is pretty questionable. Of course archaeology, like all other fields, has people who want attention.