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Ancient Roman Swiss Army knife on display

Sunday, January 31st, 2010

Yesterday Cambridge University’s Fitzwilliam Museum reopened its Greek and Roman gallery after a year and a half of renovations. One of its most prized items on display is an unspeakable cool folding multi-tool device that puts a Swiss Army knife to shame.

The tool features a knife, a spoon, a three-tined fork, a spike, a spatula, and a small pick. The spike may have been used as an escargot extraction device (snails were a very popular food in ancient Rome), and the pick may have been a toothpick. Archaeologists think the spatula may have helped pull sauce out of narrow-necked bottles.

Roman Swiss Army knife

It was made out of silver sometime between 200 A.D. and 300 A.D. Roman folding knives are not uncommon, but most of them are made out of bronze and have fewer parts. This is the ultra-deluxe version, and so probably belonged to a wealthy person who traveled a lot, like a merchant.

 

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My goodness that is incredible!

Wow that's impressive! And the whole knife is made out of silver? Surely it must have belonged to a wealthy traveler - a merchant perhaps.

I have no idea how I missed this posting.  That is one fantastic knife.

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