Spoon

From the museum

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.

The museum’s own description, in English. Licence: CC0