In Ur, the meal (naptanu in Akkadian) is built around two inseparable pillars: barley bread (akalu) and thick beer (šikaru), drunk through a straw. Around these come stews of meat or fish simmered in broth, aromatic vegetables (leek, garlic, onion), dates and figs, and confections sweetened with honey and date syrup. At the table of the high priestess, this same meal has a double: the offering placed before the gods (nindabû), for the divine statue is fed as one would feed a great king — the banquet of men mirrors the banquet of the gods.

Before sugar and before the word "honey" meant anything other than fruit syrup, Mesopotamia sweetened everything with dišpu, a thick syrup made from pressed and reduced dates. It binds sauces, glazes festival breads, and flavors beer. It is the signature sweetness of the land of Ur, present on the table as on the altar.