A team of Italian and American archaeologists have discovered at a southern Iraq site what is believed to have been a sort of refrigerator used for keeping food cool and conserving it in ancient Sumeria 5,000 years ago. The discovery of the 'tavern' was made at the site of the capital of one of the most important Mesopotamian city states, ancient Lagash, at present day Tell al-Hiba.

Archaeologists from Pisa university and Pennsylvania University have found what they have described as an open-air eating area with benches, an oven, food conservation containers, remains of ancient food and the so-called 'fridge' called a 'zeer', an Arab term describing the 'vase-in-a-vase' technique of preserving food and drink against the heat.