Silver-gilt cignus spoon with a bird-headed handle and bowl decorated with a mythical marine creature. 4th century CE from the Hoxne Hoard
Cignus (Latin: cygnus, meaning "swan"; plural: cigni) is a name used by archaeologists for a type of large Roman Empire metal spoon[1] with a short, curved, handle often formed as the neck and head of a swan. Cigni have been found in a number of Roman sites from the 4th and 5th centuries CE, including the Thetford and Hoxne Hoards in England.[2] It is not known for certain what the Romans called these utensils, but there are references to cigni in Roman sources in appropriate contexts.[citation needed]
