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Description: | A worn and abraded sub-circular cast lead-alloy object, probably a spindle whorl. The whorl is broadly discoidal in form and sub-rectangular in section with a flat base and top. It is slightly convex on the reverse. The whorl is crudely decorated on the obverse face. There is a centrally incised square which incorporates the spindle hole in one of its corners. Further lines irregularly radiate out perpendicular from the edges of the square. The artefact measures 25.7mm in length; the spindle hole has a diameter of 5.0mm. The spindle whorl is 5.6mm in thickness and weighs 20.6g. 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 therefore possible that this example was used for spinning wool. The dating of unstratified spindle whorls is very difficult. Egan (1998, 256) notes that spindle whorls were more highly decorated during the Roman and Saxon periods compared to the medieval period. A preponderance of medieval finds from the vicinity would such a date for this find.
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/r... | Go to resource |
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