Unknown Maker, Roman

In ancient Rome bronze was a prized material for both utilitarian and decorative objects. This spoon may have been used during the evening meal (cena) to eat soups, jellies, or other liquids. It was solid-cast, most likely by the lost-wax method and then polished to a lustrous finish. The blackish-green patina of its surface today is the result of oxidation, or exposure to natural elements over a prolonged period of time.