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Description: | Stone spindle-whorl of uncertain date, Roman to early Post Medieval, c. 100 - 1700The spindle-whorl is comparatively regular and circular (of 35.8 - 37.4mm diameter and weighing 27.8g) is made from a fine-grained, micaeous sandstone, now with ground surfaces. The spindle-whorl is of sub-rectangular section (13.9mm thick) with near-flat faces. The perforation is central and is circular (7.4mm diameter) with straight parallel sides. There is no surviving evidence of applied decoration to the surfaces.Margeson (1993, page 184)[1] has suggested 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. Since the weight of this spindle-whorl falls just short of the heavier category it is remains unsure which material it would have been used with. Spindle whorls are difficult to date precisely out of their original context, since they were used through most historical and archaeological periods. Many of the later examples tend to be undecorated. Egan (1998, page 256)[2] has argued that there was an apparent lack of interest in developing decorative styles of spindle whorls during the Medieval period, compared to the decorative examples known from the Roman and Early Medieval periods. Although decorated examples are known of from Medieval and Post Medieval periods. [1] Margeson S., 1993, Norwich Households: The Medieval and Post Medieval Finds from Norwich Survey Excavations 1971-1978; East Anglian Archaeology Report No. 58, 1993[2] Egan, G., 1998, The Medieval Household Daily Living c.1150-c.1450; Medieval Finds from Excavations in London: 6; Museum of London
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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