the cutlery is part of our history and culture. Today, seeing a knife, fork and spoon on the table does not surprise us at all. They are part of our day to day, but have you ever wondered what it is? the origin and history of cutlery?
The knife, the cutting tool linked to civilization
If we have to talk about the history of cutlery, it is essential to name the knife first. This cutting instrument was decisive in the evolution of man when it comes to hunting. Without it, our possibilities when eating meat would have been restricted. Fortunately, in nature we find sharp materials that made the creation of this utensil possible. But of course, the knife we know today with which we cut chicken fillets has little to do with that of Prehistory, so what is the origin of the "modern" knife? The knife was the first to be incorporated into modern cutlery in the Middle Ages. Legend has it that in 1630, the cardinal Richelieu He ordered the tips of the knives in his house to be rounded. The reason? His diners used to use them as a weapon of war as well as toothpicks. In this way, kings like Carlos III of Spain prohibited the use of the knife on public roads and thus the difference was resolved. between the weapon and the eating utensil. It was in the XNUMXth century when most knives appeared as we know them today, although civilizations such as the Egyptian, Babylonian and Greek already used them.
The spoon, the second in contention
The history of the spoon also has its origin in the Prehistory, more specifically in the Neolithic. They used to be carved in wood, horn or bone. This contraption that served as a tool for eat without dirtying your hands o eat soups, broths and purees, it became popular. Each civilization improved it based on their needs by adding improvements for a greater comfort. In the Iberian Peninsula, the use of the spoon became common during the Muslim domination; From that moment to the present day, it is a basic tool that has evolved to the point that some are...groceries!
The fork, the latest in the history of cutlery
This cutlery was the last to appear, and it makes sense if we think that solid food can be eaten with the hands. It was already in the Middle Ages, at the time that the nobility establishes rules at mealtime, when the use of a fork is necessary. It is believed that it was the court of Byzantium the one who invented the fork, and one of the daughters of Constantine Ducas, Teodora, who popularized this instrument. Although the young woman was finally condemned by the Church for considering the fork a "instrument of the devil", but that is already another story...
