Cleveland Museum of Art

Spoon

Date

918–1392

Medium

silver bronze

Culture

Korea, Goryeo dynasty (918–1392)

Department

Korean Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

Celadons, spoons, seals, and bronze mirrors were among the most common burial objects of the Goryeo dynasty (918–1392), placed in tombs to honor and comfort the deceased. This spoon, with its gracefully curved bowl and handle that bends downward to each side, ending in a scepter-shaped finial, is distinctive in design and was likely used in Buddhist rituals, rather than as an everyday utensil. Scholars have proposed that toward the end of the 1300s, Koreans enjoyed meat-based soups more than any other dishes, explaining why spoons became common household items as well as burial goods.

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