Artwork Page for Chopstick

Details / Information for Chopstick

Chopstick

청동 젓가락 [靑銅箸]

918–1392

Korea, Goryeo dynasty

(918–1392)
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Medium
bronze
Measurements
Overall: 17.6 cm (6 15/16 in.)
Credit Line
General Income Fund 1918.526.1
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
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Did You Know?

In contrast to the Chinese and Japanese, Koreans still prefer metal chopsticks (stainless steel and brass) to wooden ones.

Description

In Korea, chopsticks made of metal such as brass, silver, and gold were excavated from ancient tombs and ruins dated to the 6th century at the earliest. Burial goods often include utilitarian objects such as table wares and utensils because the dead were believed to need them in the afterlife.
A bronze chopstick, a slender vertical rod, displays a dark green and brown mottled patina. Near the center, horizontal ridges encircle the shaft, providing a subtle decorative break. The form begins with a blunt, flat top and extends downward, transitioning into a gradual taper that finishes in a rounded point. The weathered, coarse texture of the metal suggests significant age across its elongated, uniform silhouette.

Chopstick

918–1392

Korea, Goryeo dynasty (918–1392)

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