The first use of spoons is lost in the mist of time. Spoons can be tablespoons, teaspoons, eggspoons or earspoons; they can be measuring spoons for any salt or any powdered substance. The Romans used some unique lathe-turned spoons made from cattle bones, teaspoon-sized. In Viking Age Scandinavia, antler as well as bone was used for spoons. Spoons of wood or horn are rarely found.

 

non hollowed out spoon

 

dimensions: 104 x 16 mm

provenance: South Shields Roman Fort (UK) date: 2^nd – 4^th century