By Evelyn Simak, based on her entries in bead-database.org
It is not known when or where handspindles were first used, although both India and the Near East are believed to be the most likely candidates. Spindle whorls are known to have been manufactured from a great variety of materials. People in general used what was most readily available to them, stone, clay and wood whorls being the most commonly used, especially in the earliest periods. When an area moved ahead economically, people often began to make spindles of more precious materials.
Plano-convex circular whorls (one flat or concave and one domed end) are the most common shape. There are many variants of this basic shape, however, achieved by changes in proportion, circumference, perimeter and angles of the sides. Their perforations vary greatly in size and are either very slightly tapered or straight. Due to the fact that spindle whorls served the same purpose where ever they were used, ie to propell the spindle shaft, whilst twisting loose fibres into a thread, they do have so many common characteristics that it is difficult to accurately place and date particular specimen when found out of context, unless they are distinguished from others by unique designs or decoration patterns unique to the culture that made and used them.
Many spindle whorls have been decorated with concentric lines, with incised circles and dots - the circle-dot motif dating back as far as 3000 to 2500 BCE. Apart from purely decorative patterns, some whorls were incribed with possibly mythological symbols, others with what appears to be ritualistic formulas for expressing devotion, a request, or gratitude, or vows to the patroness of spinning. In Egypt, spindle whorls were found amongst the objects that were inscribed with hieroglyphs, the "Speech of the Gods", and were often used as temple ornaments. In ancient Europe, the acts of weaving and spinning are full of allegorical and sacred force and spindle whorls are amongst the most significant votive offerings found in cult centres and burial grounds. However, most ancient symbols depicted on spindle whorls remain unidentified and little is known about what they might represent.
Generally speaking, the finer the fibres and threads intended to be spun, the more light-weight are the whorls used for spinning them. The smallest spindle whorls on record are those which were used in parts of the Near East, weighing under one gram. With the added weight of the spindle shaft, their combined total coincides with the ideal weight for top-whorl spindles intended for spinning fine fibres such as cotton or silk, which is 8 to 16 grams. The most common weight range for medieval north European spindle whorls, used mainly for spinning coarser fibres such as flax and wool, lies between 10 to 30 grams. Perforation sizes vary greatly.
Apart from their original use as a tool used for spinning, spindle whorls are being used as beads. The following characteristics may help to distinquish between beads and spindle whorls and other similarly shaped objects: as mentioned above, the great majority of whorls is plano-convex, and there are extremely few spindle whorls that are not symmetrically shaped in relation to the axis of their perforation. Their perforation is always accurately centered, and often tapered. In comparison with a bead of the same size, a spindle whorl will often have the proportionally larger perforation.
In Africa, the magical properties of spindle whorls is being put to good use by placing a string of redundant whorls on the wall, next to front doors, for good luck, and to fend off evil spirits.
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