In European culture without a spoon, no one can do. It is made from different materials. The size and shape of the table subject depends on its purpose: Coffee, tea, dessert. We immediately understand what we will be, or another dish, and do not even think that this item invented and when he acquired the usual appearance for us.
History and evolution of spoon
A spoon is so an ancient invention that it is impossible to establish the time interval of its existence. Researchers call different date of birth, the estimated age fluctuates from three to seven thousand years. It is not known even the origin of the name of this word. Linguists see the general Slavonic root in the words "lick" or "choking", as well as "Log", which means "deepening". It is possible to origin from Greek - "swallow".
One knows exactly that the spoon appeared much earlier fork. It can eat both solid and liquid food, and for a fork - only hard.
Ancient world
The semblance of spoons used more primitive people, these were sea shells, halves of nut shells or bent dense leaves of plants. Until now, some tribes in Africa and South America use the comfortable shells of mollusks instead. The first spoons made by people looked like small clay brushes with short handles. Later to create this item used wood, bones and animal horns, even later - metal.
Excavations confirmed that In ancient Egypt, we used cutlery in the fifth century to our era, "similar products made of stone were found. The ancient Greeks made spoons from pearl shells. Archaeologists found similarity of table items from animal horns and fish bones belonging to the third millennium to our era. During the heyday of the Roman-Greek civilization, bronze and silver devices used for eating food appeared.
Middle Ages
In Russia, the spoons began to apply for several centuries earlier than in the rest of Europe. In the chronicles, the order of Prince Vladimir (WC) is mentioned by masters for the manufacture of silver spoons for all their squads. By this time In Russia, wooden spoons have already been used everywhere. In some families, the craftsmen themselves made themselves to eat food for eating foods. But in most cases used the products of master-lodgers. As a material used: aspen, maple, birch, linden, plum, apple tree. These were simple and practical products. They became carved and painted much later.
In addition to Italy and Greece, familiar with dining devices with deep antiquity, in the XIII century, the peoples of Europe appeared spoons from silver. On the handles were depicted students of Jesus Christ, so the tables began to call the "apostolic spoons."
Renaissance
In the XV century, except bronze and silver, began to produce cutlery objects from copper and brass. Metal was still considered the privilege of rich people, the poor were used by wooden products.
Epoch of Enlightenment
Peter the first went to visit with its cutting devices. Following his example, a custom was fixed in Russia: going to visit, take a spoon with him. In the XVIII century, when aluminum was opened, the first cutlery from this metal was served only by respected guests, the remaining firing with silver fixtures. In the same century, round spoons have gained the usual and convenient oval appearance. In addition, the fastened fashion of drinking tea has caused the production of cutlery of different sizes. By this time include the appearance of teaspoons, and a little more - and coffee.
Fashion in long sleeves' clothing also played a role in converting cutlery - there was a need for a longer handle, which made this object similar to modern.
XIX century
German E. Geithner first in Europe (1825) began to produce cutlery from copper, zinc and nickel alloy, he called him an argentan. The alloy cost cheaper than silver, so many European manufacturers began to apply it for their products. Today, such spoons are called Melchiorov, and they still have not lost their popularity.
XX, XXI century
The opening of stainless steel at the beginning of the last century has become a turning point in the history of cutlery. Now this metal will form 80% of all spoons on the planet. Chrome, which entered the product, relieves it from corrosion.
Today, spoons produce from various metals and alloys, but Table silver is still in honor.
Interesting Facts
Spoons seem to be ordinary, familiar kitchen utensils. But, having passed a long historical path, they became participants in many interesting stories. For example, not everyone knows where the expression "beat the bumps" came from, although everyone knows that they talk about the lazy. In the lodkuri case there is a simple occupation - it is crashing to break into parts (biscuits) that become blanks for future items. In the production of spoons, the bumps were considered a light business and was ordained in the most inequate apprentices.
In the old days everyone had his own spoon. When the newborn appeared the first teeth and he began to get another food, besides the maternal milk, he was given a small spoon. It was considered: if it is made of silver or gold, the baby in the future will not need anything. To customs, modern people are often treated, giving the baby with a silver spoon "on the teeth."
People believed in other signs associated with a cutlery:
- putting the chance of two spoons in one cup, you can expect a wedding;
- The spoon fell off the table - wait for a visit to the woman, the knife was dropped - a man will come;
- The extra cutlery was on the table during the family lunch - there will be a guest;
- It is impossible to knock on the table with a spoon - the trouble will come;
- Those who lick spoon after eating, waiting for a happy marital marriage.
The table object played his role in the student life of the past. In the XIX century, young people who receive education in Kazan University, before each exam lay tea spoons under the closet to successfully pass the test. It is difficult to say what the point is inserted into this admission, but students believed that she was working. In the University of Cambridge, the spoon was used on another occasion: the grandiose cutlery was cut out of the tree with a size of almost human growth and gave the most backward student as a sign of consolation.
The famous Master of Surrealism Salvador Dali used a spoon as a alarm clock. He attached great importance to day sleep, but did not want to spend too much time on him. Falling asleep in your favorite chair, the artist kept a table object in his hands. When he fell, Dali woke up from sound. This time he was enough to restore the forces to continue work.
Such a small object, as a spoon, has a long history and is an indispensable attribute of our lives.
In the next video you will find the story of a spoon in pictures.