The term table has its etymological origin in vascēlla, a Latin word. The concept is used to name the number of elements used to transport, serve and consume food.
The crockery, thus, is made up of glasses, trays, plates and the rest of the containers that are placed on the table at mealtime. Some include cutlery (fork, knife, spoon, etc.) in the dish, while others use the notion of cutlery to refer specifically to these utensils. Different materials are used for the preparation of the dishes; glass, ceramic, wood, plastic and metal are some of the most popular. It is important to note that there are different types of dinnerware depending on the occasion: while porcelain dinnerware can be very different for use on formal occasions, plastic dinnerware can only be used for domestic and informal purposes.
The need for cheaper products and advances in certain mass production processes led to the creation of very affordable tableware, with less pure and durable materials, although often with sober and elegant designs. The plate is one of the most important elements of tableware. It is made in different sizes: the smallest serve for starters and desserts, while the largest serve the main course. There are also deep dishes that allow you to serve and eat liquid foods such as soups. Glasses, cups, bowls, salad bowls and spools are also part of the tableware. The number of objects that use the same food simultaneously depends on the characteristics of the food (breakfast for two people is not the same as dinner for eight). History of cutlery The origin of cutlery is actually very old, so much so that it already existed in the Bronze Age, which is between 2200 and 1900 BC, there was a civilization that manufactured ceramic vessels. They were bell-shaped (they were bell-shaped) and had many ornaments on the outside. Based on the finds around this culture, it is believed that the vessels were used for funerals in various places on the European continent, such as Ireland and the Netherlands. The bell-shaped vase is one of the most important trade items between the third and second millennium BC, and its consumers were the European elites, who also used it in social ceremonies, political meetings and marriage alliances, among other events. It can be said that this remote ancestor of tableware was at the forefront of a trend.
Over time, metal tableware began to appear and in this context it is necessary to mention the Treasure of Villena, one of the most important finds of the Bronze Age in Europe, together with that of the Royal Tombs of Mycenae, located in Greece. . Some of the components of this gold cutlery are bowls and bottles of various sizes. Thanks to the work of dedicated archaeologists, Greece has bequeathed us various pottery from the Mycenaean period, between 1600 and 1200 BC, with different styles and sizes. Among all the finds are jugs, craters (large containers for mixing wine and water, since the ancient Greeks did not drink pure wine), jugs and vases. In Persia and Assyria, for example, royals and the upper class are known to have used gold and silver tableware. There are numerous collections made with these and other materials, such as bronze, which have been protagonists in recent decades and can now be seen in the most important museums in the world.
