Plate
Japanese Name:
皿
Romaji Name:
sara
Description
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A plate is a flat dish used to hold and serve food. Plates come in various sizes and materials like ceramic, glass, or plastic and are a common item on dining tables.
History
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The history of plates dates back to ancient civilizations, where people used large leaves, flat stones, or wooden boards to hold food.
The earliest known man-made plates were made of clay or pottery by cultures such as the Ancient Egyptians, Mesopotamians, Chinese, and Greeks.
In ancient China, ceramic plates were developed as early as the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BCE), and later refined with the invention of porcelain.
In Europe, during the Middle Ages, people often ate from trenchers—flat pieces of stale bread or wooden boards.
By the Renaissance, metal and ceramic plates became common among the wealthy, while wooden ones were still used by commoners.
With the growth of the porcelain industry in China and later in Europe, especially in places like Germany (Meissen) and England (Wedgwood), plates became both functional and decorative.
In the 20th century, plates began to be mass-produced in glass, plastic, and melamine, making them affordable and accessible worldwide.