Ninkasi, The amber goddess

Beer, a beverage invented in -4000 BC in Mesopotamia, was created following a mistake in the fermentation of hops. Beer, then called Sikaru, conquered the Sumerians. So much so, that they decided to create a deity in its own right. His name: Ninkasi. To pass on the beer recipe, the Sumerians engraved it on clay tablets using cuneiform writing: this was the basis of Ninkasi’s visual identity. This rough-looking logo reflects the spirit of cuneiform writing. Letters on the borderline between the legible and the symbolic. The framing of these glyphs breathes the shape of these clay tablets. An ancient atmosphere emanates from this logo, taking us back to that time. It’s as if Ninkasi has always existed…

In ancient times, clay tablets were used to communicate and tell stories. Ninkasi has therefore chosen to tell the story of the birth of its beer right on the bottle. The logo engraved in the clay is the only vestige left on the bottle. This beverage seems to come from a distant era, as if the bottle had just been unearthed after spending thousands of years underground. The label, held in place by a string, is reminiscent of freshly unearthed relics from archaeological digs. This bottle is proof that a past civilisation drank Ninkasi beer.

Placed on a pedestal, Ninkasi beer becomes an ancient statue that has been worshipped for millennia. “La déesse des ambrées” lends a certain aura to the beverage, almost becoming a title of honor. The arrangement of the logo and slogan adds dynamism to the rather static visual. The clay tablets, subtly suggested, emphasize the authenticity and age of the product. This lends credibility to Ninkasi’s ancient know-how. The ad is an invitation to discover both beer and ancient civilisation.

Curator’s Insight

Here’s where it gets special: that logo isn’t just slapped on the bottle; it’s like a relic from an archaeological dig, the engraved clay makes it seem as if you’ve unearthed this ancient treasure yourself.