Throughout history, in almost every
ancient culture, the spindle whorl has
been a common domestic object. Elegant
and abstract, these little objects were
used to weight wool while it was being
spun into thread. Common to most every
civilization, these charming weights
were often buried as a grave gift with
their owners. Though their shape tended
to remain uniform, spindle whorls can be
found in a variety of materials
including stone, bronze, gold, glass and
bone. In Rome, even the most respectable
women carded and spun wool; it was
considered the duty of a good matron.
Spindle whorls are still used today in
parts of Eastern Europe and the Middle
East. We can imagine this whorl dancing
through the fingers of a beautiful woman
as she laughed and gossiped with her
friends. From such an artifact, handled
on a daily basis by an ancient life, we
are placed in intimate touch with a
vanished age.
- (GF.0302)
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