English: Detail of Stela depicting a Syrian mercenary drinking beer. Egyptian New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, Aménophis IV. Neues Museum, Berlin. The original image, created by author Vassil, has been brightened, by the use of filters, to make fine detail more easily visible and tilted to correct the perspective distortion caused by the angle from which the original photograph was taken. Some blurring of focus, present in the original, is still visible toward the base of the image. An Ancient Egyptian painting executed upon a limestone stela, depicting a Syrian mercenary drinking beer from a type of amphora through a very early form of drinking straw - circa 1300 B.C.E.; Egyptian collection of the, Neues Museum, Berlin. This charming little painting - executed more than 3,300 years ago - is full of interesting detail. The mercenary, identifiable as a Syrian from his garb and hairstyle, is taking time out from the rigours of war to relax and enjoy a refreshing drink in what appears to be an Ancient Egyptian tavern. He has propped his spear against the wall, although he is still wearing his dagger tucked into his belt. An Egyptian pot-boy is raising the end of a very early form of drinking straw to his customer’s lips and possibly also continuing to support it there. The straw is long and bent at an angle of nearly 90 degrees towards the end (reinforced with a diagonal strut), the upright portion being immersed in the beer, which is contained in a type of amphora, standing supported in a type of stand or tripod to prevent it from toppling over. The straw is presumably made of metal and fairly heavy, which would explain the need for the serving-boy to support it while his customer drinks. The identity of the woman seated at ease in front of the drinker is not clear: she may be the proprietor/landlady of the tavern, although she could equally well be the wife or girlfriend of the soldier or even a prostitute.