Spoon (Cleveland Museum of Art 1917.338)
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
918–1392
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. Cleveland Museum of Art object 1917.338: Spoon (보주형 은동 수저 [寶珠形銀銅匙]), 918–1392. Korea, Goryeo dynasty (918–1392). Silver bronze; overall: 31 cm (12 3/16 in.). Details are those of this museum object; how far it represents a wider type has not been independently verified.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 4
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
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.
Physical characteristics
- Materials
- silver bronze
- Dimensions
- Overall: 31 cm (12 3/16 in.)
- Measurements
- Overall: 31 cm (12 3/16 in.)
- Material and technique
- silver bronze
Identification
- Date recorded
- 918–1392
- Culture period
- Korea, Goryeo dynasty (918–1392)
- Holding institution
- Cleveland Museum of Art
- Museum object number
- 1917.338
- Published references
- L. W. "Korean Bronze Spoons of the Korai Dynasty." The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 4, no. 6 (1917): 99-101. Reproduced: Front Matter; Mentioned: pp. 99-101 · Goryeo Dynasty: Korea's Age of Enlightenment, 918-1392 . San Francisco: Asian Art Museum, 2003. · Horlyck, Charlotte. "The Eternal Link: Grave Goods of the Koryŏ Kingdom (918-1392 CE)." Ars Orientalis , no. 44 (2014): 156-79. · Yun, Seong-jae. “The Special Meanings of Spoons and Chopsticks in the Goryeo Dynasty [고려시대 분묘출토 청동수저].” Yeoksa wa silhak (2015): 51-68. · Bronze in Life and Art [삶과 예술 속. 청동 靑銅 이야기] National Cheongju Museum (2016). · Jeong, Eui-do. Changes of Spoons during the Late Goryeo Period [고려후기 숟가락의 변화].” Hanguk jungse gogohak (2017): 139-157.
- Museum classification
- Metalwork
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: this record describes a single museum object; confirm maker, marks and date against silver and metalwork references.