Rights Holder: Durham County Council
CC License:
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Unique ID: DUR-DB381E
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
lead Spindle Whorl dating from the Roman to the Post-Medieval period (AD 43-1550). The object is conical with a central perforation running through it. There is no apparent decoration on either surface.
Helen Geake writes: "Dating of lead whorls is difficult. The drop spindle with which they were used continued in use until the end of the medieval period in London and Winchester (Egan 1998, "The Medieval Household: Daily Living c1150 - c1450"; and Biddle, 1990, "Object and Economy in Medieval Winchester"), and for perhaps a century longer in Norfolk (Margeson, 1993, "Norwich Households: Medieval and Post Medieval finds from Norwich Survey Excavations 1971 - 78"). The excavated assemblage from Winchester contains one lead whorl from a mid to late 10th century context." Undecorated spindle whorls can therefore date from the Roman, Early Medieval or Medieval periods. It has been pointed out that the weight of a spindle whorl is suggestive of the thickness of yarn produced, with lighter spindle whorls (3 - 5 grams) being used for spinning cotton and the heavier ones (30 - 35 grams) for spinning wool (Margeson 1993, 184). According to this, this lead whorl was probably used for spinning wool.
The metal is cream and light brown in colour with a pitted patina.
Diameter: 33.58mm, Internal Diameter: 8.05mm, Thickness: 12.59mm, Weight: 52.5g.
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: POST MEDIEVAL
Subperiod from: Early
Period from: ROMAN
Subperiod to: Late
Period to: POST MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 43
Date to: Circa AD 1550
Quantity: 1
Thickness: 12.59 mm
Weight: 52.5 g
Diameter: 33.58 mm
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Primary material: Lead Alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Decoration style: Geometric
Completeness: Complete
4 Figure: NZ0983
Four figure Latitude: 55.14127476
Four figure longitude: -1.86035272
1:25K map: NZ0983
1:10K map: NZ08SE
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 10 metre square.
No references cited so far.