Cochlearia have been found in a number of Roman sites from the 4th and 5th centuries CE, including the
Thetford and
Hoxne Hoards. The word
cochlea literally means spiral or snail shell, leading many to conclude that the spoon was designed so that the handle could be used to extract snails or
cockles out of the shell. A
cochlearium was also a place where snails could be bred for eating. In modern times, the cochlearium is used by
boat bearers in the
Latin Rite of the Catholic Church to transfer
incense from the "boat" (
navicula in
Latin) to the thurible. ==See also==