Cleveland Museum of Art

Fork with Mule-Head Finial

Date

375–425 CE

Medium

silver

Culture

Italy, Roman

Department

Greek and Roman Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

This two-tined silver fork has a faceted handle that terminates in a mule head, perhaps a nod to its use for meat— whether cooking, serving, or eating. Forks from the premodern Mediterranean are rare, only known through a small number of surviving examples. Extant forks are relatively large and often bronze, making this silver example still more rare. This fork served a utilitarian purpose as flatware in antiquity.

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