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: 20.6 cm (8 1/8 in.)
Credit Line
Director's Contingent Fund 1918.564.1
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 features a thin, vertical shaft topped with a series of horizontal ridges ending in a small, bulbous protrusion. Below these rings, the shaft smooths and tapers toward a flat, slightly indented base. The upper portion has a dark green patina with an irregular texture, while the lower segment reveals a metallic gray surface with blotches of oxidation. The entire object shows signs of aged wear.

Chopstick

918–1392

Korea, Goryeo dynasty (918–1392)

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