Some inventions have remained virtually flawless since their inception, requiring only the most subtle adjustments throughout history. Chopsticks exemplify this beautifully.
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An excavation in southwest China’s Sichuan province in mid-September unearthed a pair of metal chopsticks from the Southern Song dynasty (1127-1279) that appear as though they could have been cleaned and set for the evening meal.
The remarkable stability of chopsticks over the past millennium is particularly noteworthy, especially considering that their design would have closely resembled the utensils used by ancient hunter-gatherers. In essence, chopsticks have undergone little change for over 3,000 years.
“Chopsticks were found from the Neolithic period (around 1200 BC), but I believe their evolution into dedicated eating utensils began during the Warring States period (475-221 BC), or in the ages following Confucius,” noted Q. Edward Wang, eminent professor at the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Rowan University in the US and author of Chopsticks: A Cultural and Culinary History.
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