Roman Bronze Folding Spoon
Circa 4th century A.D. Featuring a shallow piriform bowl, raised neck with movable pinned hinge attached to the hexagonal-section handle and shortened polyhedral knob finial, allowing the handle to be folded into the bowl. Cf. Shelton, K.J., The Esquiline Treasure, London, 1981, item 27, for type.15.5 grams, 14 cm (5 1/2 in.). UK collection, early 1990s and before. Acquired on the UK art market since the early 2000s. From a private collection, Lancashire, UK. As today, the spoon was used as a measure for dosage in ancient times. Both the cochlear and the ligula could have been used to measure different quantities, particularly in the practice of medicine and in the kitchen. Isidore (Origines, XVI, 26.3) tells us that the cochlear was the smallest unit size and was worth half a drachma. [No Reserve]