Early dining tables were purely functional; the term "setting the table" originated in the middle ages to describe setting a board on two trestles to provide a temporary surface on which to set food. Diners supplied their own knife and spoon and food was often eaten off a slice of bread set directly on the table. A medieval table in a wealthy household might be covered in a cloth that was used as a common napkin rather than having a decorative purpose. According to Claudia Quigley Murphy, even among the wealthy a table would be set only with a salt cellar, cups, and sometimes stands for dishes that were being delivered to the table by cooks. When plates were introduced, they were often shared among two or more diners. By the late 1600s forks were in common use; this utensil meant fewer drips and greasy fingers to wipe, which made practical the use of decorative tablecloths and napkins.
