SC - table eating utensils

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Sue Clemenger wrote:
> 
> I was always under the impression that that left hand/right hand business was
> found in cultures/countries not commonly considered part of Western Europe.
> Besides...about 10% of us out here (myself included) are left-handed.
> --Maire

Well, the Romans (the civilization, not necessarily the people of the
city) apparently considered it indecent to expose the left hand. The
Emperor Claudius was criticized for using his left hand often, and for
draping his toga in such a way as to make it easy to stick it out
between the folds (He used to pin it at the left shoulder, apparently,
instead of  overlapping the ends of the cloth over the crook of his left
arm. He was also criticized for eating with two hands.

The reasons this semi-taboo existed may have been very different from
the Middle Eastern prohibitions which are almost certainly hygienic measures.
 
Adamantius
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com