Mária T. Biró: The Bone Objects of the Roman Collection. (Catalogi Musei Nationalis Hungarici. Seria Archeologica 2; Budapest, 1994)

VI. BONE OBJECTS OF EVERYDAY USE AND TOOLS MADE OF BONE - 1. Spoons

VI. BONE OBJECTS OF EVERYDAY USE AND TOOLS MADE OF BONE 1. Spoons. 2. Knives. 3. Knot looseners, mouthpieces of bits, arrow-heads, punchers or perforators, 4. Tools of women's housework: sewing needles, spinning and weaving equipments. 1. Spoons Irrespective of age and geographical position in every culture it was above all rural population that made its cutlery from bone or wood. Whether this population was living on agriculture or shepherding bone as a raw material was always at hand for the preparation of their everyday devices. Urbanization and material welfare, the development of eating culture have all replaced wooden tools but not those made of bone. Bone was indispensable in the fields of life where the employment of metal spoons could cause deleterious chemical reactions and it was easy to recognize the discolouring on metal objects. Such reactions were caused by the ingredients of medicines, certain unguentums, etc. The reason must have been similar with the dosing of fluid seasons, vinegar, etc. It is not by chance that on the representations of the Pompeian frescoes the round headed small spoons are often prepared on the serving table. Bone spoons did not corrode, thus when mixing cosmetics and ointments they were indispensable for dosing concentrated, resinous perfumeries. Until quite recently, until the invention of synthetic materials always bone spoons were used for this end. Bone spoons were also appropriate for the luxory demands of eating culture. Ivory spoons with intricate carving or cutlery with the combination of bone and some precious metal are valuable pieces of applied arts. In the Museum of Szombathely there is a gilt bronze handled spoon with bone scooping head. The problem is not that they could not produce from the bone raw material the quality required by Roman citizens; but the character and serving of the foods was probably quite different from those in the Middle Ages or modern times. Among spoons carved from bone the size corresponding to today's table spoon is very rare; on the other hand, there are large quantities of bronze and bone spoons in the size of today's tea spoons. Soups were possibly drunk from cups or from small bowls while sauces were dipped. In the archaeological finds small spoons are also dominating. Antique authors differentiate two types of spoons: "cochlearia" respectively "ligulae". On the basis of archaeological finds four types can be described: pear or pouch-shaped spoon heads, drop- and circle-headed spoons with pointed end. The handle and the scooping part of the spoons were carved and fitted together in two ways. In one case the handle and the head of the spoon is at the same level while in the other case this level is squarely broken in a way that the head of the spoon lies deeper than the handle. The head shapes and ways of