SPINDLE WHORL

Spindle whorls are common domestic objects which are frequently found by detectorists (Halliday 1999,9). As symbols of female work they appear in many medieval and latter depictions of everyday life (Margeson 1993, fig.135; Egan 1998, 255-256). Spindle whorls are known from Iron Age, Roman and medieval excavations; however, the majority of examples are post-medieval in date. Drop spindles were used until at least the sixteenth century in England (Margeson 1993, 184). Examples of spindle whorls made from bone, pottery sherds and stone are known; however, crudely cast and decorated lead examples are a post-medieval type (Halliday 1999,9). Spindle whorls were mounted on to a spindle usually made out of wood. Unspun wool was held on a distaff and the yarn was twisted from the wool by hand and attached to the spindle which dangled and so tautened the increasing length of yarn. During this process the spindle was rotated (a process facilitated by the whorl) which made the whole procedure easier. The weight and shape of spindle whorls has been demonstrated to determine the thickness of the yarn produced; lighter whorls spin faster than heavier examples and conical whorls spin more quickly than discoidal whorls (Margeson 1993, 184). The weight of the spindle whorl helps to straighten coarse fibres and produced a firmer yarn. Spindle whorls are often found in rural areas suggesting that spinning was undertaken by women working in fields, perhaps whilst they watched over flocks (Halliday 1999,9).