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Description: | A complete circular cast lead object, possibly a spindle whorl. The whorl is convex in form making it trapezoidal (with rounded corners) in cross-section with a flat base and flattish top. It is basic and has suffered corrosion. It is seemingly undecorated. The artefact has a spindle hole with a regular diameter of c. 10.2mm on its lower surface; the hole on the upper surface has been damaged. There are two opposing shallow grooves on the lower surface either side of the hole.
The spindle whorl is 9.2mm in thickness and weighs 23.625g. 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). It is uncertain, therefore, as to what might have been spun using this object, although the likelihood is that it would have been used for wool, if anything. The dating of unstratified spindle whorls is very difficult and a wide date range is therefore offered. | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Creator: | Webley, Robert - Portable Antiquities Scheme | Identifier: | http://www.findsdatabase.org.uk/hms/pas_... | Language: | en-GB | Go to resource |
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