Stone spindle whorl

Making thread from fibres, or spinning, is very time-consuming and labour-intensive, even though it consists of only three basic operations. The first one is drawing out a strand of thread from a bundle of fibres, the second is twisting, which brings the fibres together tightly, and the third is winding them into a ball on a spindle or bobbin. Spinning can also be done without any accessories. Twisting with one hand on the thigh or between the palm and cheek does not require any accessories. In these cases, the resulting yarn is uneven, and each of the three basic operations was performed separately, further lengthening the process. Spinning is greatly facilitated using simple utensils such as a hooked twig, a rod or even a bird's feather. In the early Middle Ages, it was common to use a spindle on which the yarn and spinner were wound; it prevented the finished thread from slipping and facilitated the spindle's whirling motion, thanks to which the wound thread was even. Thanks to archaeological research in Pomerania, we know clay spinning rods and those made of rock, from the so-called soft rocks, including sandstone. As a rule, stone spinners are flat, of various heights, sometimes decorated with simple fluted patterns, as in the case of the specimen from Jarszewo.

Anna Bogumiła Kowalska