Transverse strainer-spoons from the Hoxne hoard
Roman Britain, buried in the 5th century AD
Found at Hoxne, Suffolk (1992)
The Hoxne (pronounced 'Hoxon') hoard is the richest find of
treasure from Roman Britain. Alongside the approximately 15,000
coins were many other precious objects, buried for safety at a time
when Britain was passing out of Roman control.
These two spoons are of unknown use, but they clearly match the
large set of gilded spoons from the hoard. They may have been used
for lifting solid pieces of food out of a liquid, such as whole
fruit served in a bowl of water.
The gilded decoration shows Oceanus or a similar marine deity
with dolphins: the theme is a Bacchic one, matching the decoration
of the other spoons in the set.
C.M. Johns and R. Bland, 'The Hoxne late Roman treasure', Britannia, 25 (1994), pp. 165-73
R. Bland and C.M. Johns, The Hoxne Treasure, an illustr (London, The British Museum Press, 1993)