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Spindle whorls

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From Jarlshof, Traprain Law, Barra, Fishigarry, Newstead and Camelon

Postcard of Spindle whorls.
000-100-102-592-C
© National Museums Scotland

Spindle whorls

These spindle whorls of different materials come from Jarlshof on Shetland, Traprain Law in East Lothian, Dun Cuier on Barra in the Outer Hebrides, Foshigarry on North Uist in the Outer Hebrides, Newstead in Roxburghshire and Camelon in Stirlingshire.

These spindle whorls illustrate the range of materials used. They include steatite, baked clay, reused pottery fragments (native and Roman), bone and lead. They are very similar in form despite the wide differences in date.

Spindle whorls were hung at the end of wool, to act as a flywheel as it was spun into yarn using a spindle. They occur in a range of shapes and materials, as illustrated here. Spindle whorls are often the only evidence preserved of spinning.


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Online ID: 000-100-102-592-C
Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
Project: 0098: National Museums Scotland
Project description | View all records in project
Ref: National Museums Scotland  X.HSA 422
Date: 200 BC - 1000 AD
200 BC - 1000 AD
200 BC - 1000 AD
200 BC - 1000 AD
200 BC - 1000 AD
Between 200 BC and 1000 AD
Material: Bone, cetacean; upper half ornamented
Clay, baked; double cone
Lead; domical
Pottery
Pottery, coarse
Samian ware
Steatite, grey; bun-shaped, hemispherical; wide horizontal and vertical lines on sides, one concentric and two rows of radial lines on base
Steatite; flat
Dimensions: 1.06" D
1.34"
1.40" D x 0.25" thick
1.44" D
1.55" D x 0.95" deep
1.60" x 0.30"
40 mm D
What: Spindle whorl
Spindle whorl
Spindle whorl
Spindle whorl
Spindle whorl
Spindle whorl
Spindle whorl
Spindle whorl
Subject:
Who: Beveridge Collection
Newstead Collection
Where: Scotland, East Lothian, Traprain Law
Scotland, East Lothian, Traprain Law
Scotland, Inverness-shire, Barra, Dun Cuier
Scotland, Inverness-shire, North Uist, Foshigarry
Scotland, Roxburghshire, Melrose, Newstead
Scotland, Shetland, Sumburgh, Jarlshof
Scotland, Shetland, Sumburgh, Jarlshof
Scotland, Stirlingshire, Falkirk, Camelon
Event:
Description: Spindle whorl made from a sherd of Roman coarse ware, from Camelon
Spindle whorl of cetacean bone, upper half ornamented, from Foshigarry, North Uist
Spindle whorl made from a sherd of Iron Age pottery, from Dun Cuier, Barra
Domical lead spindle whorl, from the Roman site at Newstead, 200 BC - 1000 AD
Double cone spindle whorl of baked clay, from Traprain Law, 200 BC - 1000 AD
Spindle whorl made from a sherd of Samian ware, from Traprain Law, 200 BC - 1000 AD
Flat steatite spindle whorl, from Jarlshof, 200 BC - 1000 AD
Spindle whorl of grey steatite with wide horizontal and vertical lines on the sides, from Jarlshof, 200 BC - 1000 AD
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