[Why do forks have four tines?]

Forks are now used as a very familiar part of our diet. There are many occasions when we use forks, such as when eating pasta, cakes, and fruits. Most forks have four tines. Why do forks have four tines?

The origin of the fork can be traced back to prehistoric times, a time before humans used writing. At that time, the fork's roots were in tools used for farming, rakes used as weapons, or for rituals, and were rarely used for eating. In ancient Greece, a single-tine fork-like tool was used to remove meat from a pot.

It was not until around the 16th century that forks came into common use in Europe. Until then, after cutting meat with a knife, people ate it by hand, to my surprise. The tool used to cut meat from the plate evolved from the traditional one-tine fork to a two- or three-tine fork. Then, in the 18th century, in the 1770s, King Ferdenando II of Naples ordered spaghetti to be served to entertain foreign dignitaries. However, spaghetti, which was a common people's food, was usually eaten by hand, which was very unsightly, and it was very difficult to eat with a three-tine fork. In order to make eating spaghetti more elegant, Spadaccini, a ceremonial official who was a member of his family, improved the traditional fork. He developed a four-tine fork that could easily twirl spaghetti. This improved fork was eventually favored by the common people, and it is said that it came to be used for eating in ordinary households as well.

Futagami's cast brass surface is used for the handle, and its rough surface provides a firm grip when you hold the fork in your hand. The part that touches the mouth is silver-plated, and lead-free brass, a proprietary development, is used to control workability, strength, and color. What is impressive is the lightweight feel of the product, which is quite different from its appearance. Please enjoy the contrast between brass and silver, the glossy feel in your mouth, and the smooth texture of the cast skin when you hold it in your hand.

Futagami's Fork L *Due to contract restrictions, we are unable to ship overseas, so please purchase at our showrooms.
https://www.shokunin.com/jp/futagami/cutlery.html
Showroom Information
https://www.shokunin.com/en/showroom/

References
https://www.sunao-tsubame.com/html/page23.html
https://zatugakuunun.com/yt/mono/10067/
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%85%88%E5%8F%B2%E6%99%82%E4%BB%A3
https://www.lettuceclub.net/news/article/180812/
『頭のいい子が育つ！ 子どもに話したい雑学』（KADOKAWA）多湖 輝