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Spoon

The collection record classifies this work as metalwork. It is dated 918–1392. Recorded culture or place: Korea, Goryeo dynasty (918–1392).

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OBJECT RECORD

A closer look at the details.

Museum title
Spoon
Date
918–1392
Culture / origin
Korea, Goryeo dynasty (918–1392)
Materials and technique
silver bronze
Dimensions
Overall: 29.1 cm (11 7/16 in.)
Artist / maker
Not specified by the museum
Museum
The Cleveland Museum of Art
Accession number
1917.336

FROM THE MUSEUM

In the museum’s words

The following description is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art’s original English record.

Celadons, spoons, seals, and bronze mirrors were the most common burial objects in tombs during the Goryeo period (918–1392). Furnishing tombs with an elaborate assemblage of objects was believed to honor and comfort the newly dead. Generally, Goryeo tombs were left untouched until the late 19th century. During the colonial period (1910–45), however, Japanese archaeologists hastily excavated the tombs located in Kaeseong, the former capital of the Goryeo period. Scholars recently have proposed that toward the end of the 14th century, Koreans enjoyed meat-based soups more than any other dishes, explaining why many more spoons than chopsticks were buried in tombs.

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Text and image sources

The Cleveland Museum of Art · General Income Fund · CC0

The summary is based on public collection data. Refer to the museum’s latest record for the title, date and attribution.

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