|
Date: |
|
Description: | A lead weight spindle whorl (or possibly net sinker or trap weight) of conical shape. The spindle whorl is 29mm in diameter with a central perforation that is 9mm in diameter. If decorated, the decoration is hard to make out: it probably consisted of random lines in relief on the diagonal surface.
It has been noted that the weight of a spindle whorl is demonstrative 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, page 184). This example weighs 41.47 grams, so it seems likely that it would have been used to spin a heavy material such as wool. The dating of unstratified Spindle whorls is very difficult. However, Egan (1998, page 256) has argued that there was an apparent lack of interest in developing decorative versions of spindle whorls during the Medieval period, compared to the decorative examples known from the Roman and Saxon periods. Although decorated examples are known from the Medieval period, it seems more likely that such a decorative example is earlier and this artefact probably therefore dates to the Roman or Anglo-Saxon period. | Format: | text/html | License: | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ | Publisher: | The Portable Antiquities Scheme | Rights holder: | The Portable Antiquities Scheme | Subjects: | archaeology | Temporal: | 200
1400 | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Creator: | Dot Boughton | Identifier: | http://www.finds.org.uk/database/artefac... | Language: | en-GB | Format: | text/html | Go to resource |
|
More Like this...
-
WEIGHT
A lead weight spindle whorl…
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
|