Roman "Swiss Army Knife": GR.1.1991

Current Location: In storage

Titles

Roman "Swiss Army Knife"

Entities

Compound utensil

Description

Eating implement, folding, with three-pronged fork, spatula, pick, spike and knife.

As well as a knife, spoon, and fork, this implement provides a spike, spatula and small pick. The spike might have helped in extracting the meat from snails, and the spatula in poking sauce out of narrow-necked bottles: the pick could have served as a tooth-pick. While many less elaborate folding knives survive in bronze, this one’s complexity and the fact that it is made of silver suggest it is a luxury item, perhaps a useful gadget for a wealthy traveller.

Measurements and weight

Height: 88 mm
Width: 155 mm

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bought (1990)

Dating

Middle Roman
201 AD - 300 AD

Components of the work

Knife composed of iron

Materials used in production

Silver

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: GR.1.1991
Primary reference Number: 70534
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Friday 4 August 2023

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Antiquities

<div class="text-center"> <figure class="figure"> <img src="https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/ant/ant38/GR_1_1991.jpg" alt="Roman "Swiss Army Knife"" class="img-fluid" /> <figcaption class="figure-caption text-info">Roman "Swiss Army Knife"</figcaption> </figure> </div>