499592 Spoon with Saint Paul as an Athlete, 350-400 (silver, silver gilt & niello) by Roman Imperial Period (27 BC-476 AD); 4.6x5.6x12.2 Wt:52.5 grams cm; Cleveland Museum of Art, OH, USA; (add.info.: Silver spoons with swan neck handles (ligulae) were popular in the Late Roman Empire. This late antique spoon is unique because it is decorated with the nude figure of a victorious athlete identified in an inscription as PAVLVS (Paul). It is tempting to interpret the juxtaposition of the name with a classical representation of an athlete as a subtle allusion to a passage in Saint Paul??? first letter to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 9:24-27), in which the apostle characterizes himself as an "athlete of Christ." While this interpretation may imply that the spoon??? owner was a Christian, it does not imply a religious function for the object, which was likely used for display or fine dining.); John L. Severance Fund; out of copyright.