Spindle whorl

Early medieval weaving was a seasonal occupation, usually carried out in winter, during the period when there was no agricultural work. Traditionally, the production of yarn and fabric has been attributed to women. The basic raw textile material of plant origin was flax, while of animal origin was sheep's wool, which was most suitable for spinning. There are even opinions from experienced spinners that dirty and oily fleeces spin much easier than fleeces that have been washed and rinsed several times. Sometimes, therefore, only larger contaminants were removed. A spindle loaded with a clay or stone spinner was used to make yarn. Until recently, spindles were used in the villages to prepare thread for repairing sacks and sheets, as they were considered to be stronger and better suited to all kinds of repairs. Spindles were made from clay or soft rock materials, and possibly also from amber. They are most often barrel or biconical in shape. Pieces made of rock are often flat, such as the spindle whorl from Dopropol. Decoration with simple motifs, such as engraved lines and circles or punctures, depended on the sense of aesthetics of the maker and user. It is sometimes thought that the ornamentation was a kind of signature of the maker or user. Anna B. Kowalska