We have completed maintenance on DiscoverMagazine.com and action may be required on your account. Learn More

Mesopotamians Wrote About Kissing 4,500 Years Ago

The people who lived between the Tigris and Euphrates locked lips and then wrote about it on clay tablets.

By Matt Hrodey
Jun 4, 2023 6:45 PMJun 5, 2023 1:47 PM
Babylonian clay model
Babylonian clay model from 1800 B.C. showing a nude couple on a couch. (Credit: The Trustees of the British Museum)

Newsletter

Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news
 

People in the ancient Middle East kissed freely, smooching their romantic partners, friends, and family members, according to a new study. Researchers claim to have found evidence of humanity’s earliest recorded kiss.

Until recently, the earliest evidence had come from a Bronze Age manuscript from South Asia from 3,500 years ago, although the new study moves the date of the first documented kiss back to at least 4,500 years ago.

0 free articles left
Want More? Get unlimited access for as low as $1.99/month

Already a subscriber?

Register or Log In

0 free articlesSubscribe
Discover Magazine Logo
Want more?

Keep reading for as low as $1.99!

Subscribe

Already a subscriber?

Register or Log In

Stay Curious

Sign up for our weekly newsletter and unlock one more article for free.

 

View our Privacy Policy


Want more?
Keep reading for as low as $1.99!


Log In or Register

Already a subscriber?
Find my Subscription

More From Discover
Recommendations From Our Store
Shop Now
Stay Curious
Join
Our List

Sign up for our weekly science updates.

 
Subscribe
To The Magazine

Save up to 40% off the cover price when you subscribe to Discover magazine.

Copyright © 2024 Kalmbach Media Co.