Gold and silver tubes in a Russian museum are the oldest known drinking straws

Metal artifacts enabled communal beer drinking more than 5,000 years ago, researchers say

an illustration of ancient people gathered around a pot drinking from long straws

Eight gold and silver tubes identified by researchers as more than 5,000-year-old straws were probably used to drink beer from a communal container, as depicted here.

Kelvin Wilson

Eight silver and gold tubes held in a Russian museum have long been thought to have been either ceremonial staffs or canopy supports.