Near Eastern Spindle Whorl Collection

£ 50.00

A fine selection of Near Eastern spindle whorls, carved out of alabaster, and perforated vertically down the centre. Each whorl further features a domed profile with central grooved divisions.

Date: Circa 3rd – 2nd Millennium BC
Condition: Very fine conditon. Some wear due to age.
£ 50.00
Choice of Item A B C
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Product Code: NES-133
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Spindle whorls were a useful accessory in many civilisations used in combination with the spindle. Coarse wool or other fibres would have been twisted around the spindle then spun and left to drop pulling the fibres and creating yarn. The whorl would have been attached to the spindle aiding the handler to control the speed of the process. The weight of a whorl would determine the force applied while the diameter dictated the amount of twists performed during a single spin. This technique for spinning dated from the Iron Age to the early post-medieval periods, henceforth, across the civilisations and ages, spindle whorls have been carved out of various materials, including: alabaster, amber, antler, ceramic, coral, bone, several different metals, wood and glass.

Dimensions cm
Choice of Item

A, B, C

Region

Near East (Western Asiatic)

Stone

Alabaster

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