Spindle whorls, pottery sherds, hammerstone and blank from Coalhill, near Dalry, Ayrshire

These finds were all found at the vitrified hillfort site at Coalhill near Dalry in Ayrshire and probably date from between 400 BC and 200 AD. They include three spindle whorls (of shale, baked clay and ceramic), two rim sherds from a coarse pot, a hammerstone and a shale blank for making bangles.

Spindle whorls are common settlement finds. They were hung at the end of a strand or ball of wool, to act as a flywheel as it was spun into yarn using a spindle. The production of shale bangles was a skilled task involving flaking, sawing, carving perforating and polishing.

Enclosed settlements, often on hillforts, began to be built around 1000 BC. Many used timber in the walls as well as for wooden ramparts on the top. A number were damaged or destroyed by fire. The heat was so intense from the burning timbers that the stone vitrified - became a molten mass.

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