The Spoon

The humble spoon. Without it wed be sunk. Slurping soup would never be the same. Research shows the average household contains 83 teaspoons, soup spoons, dessert spoons, baby spoons, serving spoons, disposable picnic spoons, medicine spoons, measuring spoons, wooden spoons... and thats before you really start looking! Unsurprisingly, humankinds first eating utensils have a long and chequered history and crop up outside of the kitchen in ceremonies, ritual, folklore, myth, scientific theories, art, music and literature. Here, archaeologist and TV presenter Peter Ginn delves into the fascinating world of spoons and serves up a complete history of this trusty companion.