Spoon history: origins and evolution

In European culture, no one can do without a spoon. It is made from different materials. The size and shape of the tableware depends on its purpose: coffee, tea, dessert. We immediately understand what we are going to eat this or that dish, and do not even think about who invented this item and when it acquired the appearance we are accustomed to.

The spoon is such an ancient invention that it is impossible to establish the time span of its existence. Researchers name different dates of her birth, the estimated age ranges from three to seven thousand years. Even the origin of the name of this word is unknown. Linguists see a common Slavic root in the words "lick" or "crawl", as well as "log", which means "deepening". Perhaps the origin from the Greek - "to swallow".

The similarity of spoons was used by primitive people, they were sea shells, halves of a nutshell or bent dense leaves of plants. Until now, some tribes in Africa and South America use comfortable clam shells instead. The first spoons made by humans looked like small earthenware pots with short handles. Later, wood, bones and horns of animals were used to create this object, and even later - metal.

Excavations have confirmed that in ancient Egypt, cutlery was used as early as the fifth century BC - similar stone products were found. The ancient Greeks made spoons from mother-of-pearl shells. Archaeologists have found resemblances of cutlery from animal horns and fish bones dating back to the third millennium BC.During the heyday of the Roman-Greek civilization, bronze and silver utensils were used to eat food.

In Russia, spoons began to be used several centuries earlier than in other European countries. The chronicles mention the order of Prince Vladimir (10th century) to the masters for the manufacture of silver spoons for his entire squad. By this time in Russia, wooden spoons were already used everywhere. In some families, craftsmen made their own devices for eating food. But in most cases, they used the products of artisan spoons. The materials used were aspen, maple, birch, linden, plum, apple. They were simple and practical items. They became carved and painted much later.

In addition to Italy and Greece, familiar with cutlery from ancient times, in the 13th century, silver spoons appeared among the peoples of Europe. Disciples of Jesus Christ were depicted on the handles, so the tableware began to be called "apostolic spoons."

In the 15th century, in addition to bronze and silver, they began to make cutlery from copper and brass. Metal was still considered the privilege of rich people, the poor used wooden products.

Peter the Great went to visit with his cutlery. Following his example, the custom was entrenched in Russia: when going to visit, take a spoon with you. In the 18th century, when aluminum was discovered, the first cutlery made of this metal was served only to distinguished guests, the rest were eaten with the help of silver devices. In the same century, round spoons acquired their familiar and comfortable oval appearance. In addition, the entrenched fashion for drinking tea has led to the production of cutlery of various sizes. By this time, the appearance of teaspoons is attributed, and a little more - and coffee.

The German E. Geithner was the first in Europe (1825) to produce cutlery from an alloy of copper, zinc and nickel, he called it Argentane. The alloy was cheaper than silver, so many European manufacturers began to use it for their products. Today, such spoons are called cupronickel, and they still have not lost their popularity.

The discovery of stainless steel at the beginning of the last century was a watershed moment in the history of cutlery. Now this metal has formed the basis for 80% of all spoons on the planet. Chromium, included in the composition of the product, protects it from corrosion.

Today, spoons are made from various metals and alloys, but silverware is still held in high esteem.

Spoons seem like an ordinary, familiar kitchen utensil. But, having passed a long historical path, they became participants in many interesting stories. For example, not everyone knows where the expression "twiddling his thumbs" came from, although everyone knows that this is what they say about lazy people. There is a simple task in the business of spooners - breaking the log into parts (baklushi), which become blanks for future products. In the manufacture of spoons, breaking the thumbs was considered an easy task and was entrusted to the most inept apprentices.

In the old days, everyone had their own spoon. When the newborn's first teeth appeared and he began to receive food other than breast milk, he was given a small spoon. It was believed that if it is made of silver or gold, the baby in the future will not need anything. Modern people often turn to the custom, giving a baby a silver spoon "for a tooth".

People believed in other signs associated with cutlery:

• if you accidentally put two spoons in one cup, you can expect a wedding;
• a spoon fell from the table - wait for a woman to visit, if you drop a knife - a man will come;
• extra cutlery ended up on the table during a family dinner - there will be a guest;
• you can't knock on the table with a spoon - trouble will come;
• those who lick a spoon after eating are in for a happy marriage.

The tableware has played a role in the student life of the past as well. In the 19th century, young people studying at Kazan University put teaspoons under the cupboard before each exam to successfully pass the test. It is difficult to say what was the meaning of this sign, but the students believed that it worked. At Cambridge University, the spoon was used for a different reason: a grand cutlery, almost the size of a man's height, was carved from wood and presented to the most retarded student as a sign of consolation.

The famous master of surrealism Salvador Dali used a spoon as an alarm clock. He attached great importance to daytime sleep, but did not want to spend too much time on it. Falling asleep in his favorite chair, the artist was holding a table object in his hands. When he fell, Dali woke up from the sound. This time was enough for him to recuperate to continue working.

In the next video, you will find a story of a spoon in pictures.