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

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.

Record details

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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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