New Frames of Archaeometrical Description of Spindle Whorls: A Case Study of the Late Eneolithic Spindle Whorls From the 1c Site in Gródek, District of Hrubieszów, Poland

Abstract

The essential role of yarn spinning in textile production is indisputable. In this context, spindle whorls, the basic spinning accessories that can be found in the archaeological record, are commonly discussed. Even though the importance of the technical specification of spindle whorls has been already recognized by some authors, their functional characteristics are usually limited to the basic parameters affecting their usage range (i.e., weight, diameter and height). And since the mass moment of inertia of spindle whorls is considered to be a salient index when discussing their technical variability, the descriptions are deficient. With this short study, we intend to implement further research with more complete and flexible frames for the description of spindle whorls, based on a simple and fast‐paced method of the angular mass measurement as well as relevant typology based on clear morphometrical criteria. On the basis of the examination of a small sample of Eneolithic artefacts (the South‐Eastern Group of the Funnel Beaker Culture, c. 3650 to 2800 bc), a case study of the functioning of spindle whorls is also conducted.

Eneolithic textile production (Eneolitička proizvodnja tekstila)

“…Chmielewski's extensive research on textile production covers not only spinning and weaving aspects of the technology but also incorporates zooarchaeological and archaeobotanical data relevant for the textile fibre research. Furthermore, his and Gardyński's functional analysis of spindle whorls, based on the moment of inertia calculations (Chmielewski & Gardyński 2010), made a valuable methodological asset to the investigation of a tools' rotational properties and their possible correlation to different raw fibre materials.…”

“…4). U istom se polju istraživanja ove značajke smatraju ključnima za određivanje učinkovitosti alatke pri obradi sirovine s različitim svojstvima vlakana (Grömer 2005;Chmielewski & Gardyński 2010). I oblik i veličina pršljena određuju njegova rotacijska svojstva, što pak utječe na mo-al-historical contexts were analyzed in order to investigate technological developments in fibre production and their connection to the significant cultural, social and economic changes that occurred during the 4th and early 3rd millennium BC.…”

“…4). In the respective field of research, these precise characteristics are held responsible for determining a tool's performance with raw materials of different fibre traits (Grömer 2005;Chmielewski & Gardyński 2010). Both the whorl's shape and its size determine its rotation-ment inercije koji je ključan u procesu predenja (Sl.…”

The Artisan and the Tool: a Technological–Functional Analysis of Tlaxcallan Spindle Whorls

“…We find, however, that little attention has been put on employing the moment of inertia (MI) as a key variable when developing whorl typologies and establishing possible spinning techniques. As some scholars (Fauman‐Fichman ; Chmielewski and Gardyński ; Verhecken ) point out, such analysis is extremely useful since it allows a better understanding of the whorl's mechanics by calculating its spinning speed and torque force. Such performance cannot be determined using only measures such as weight, height and orifice diameter.…”

“…As some scholars (Fauman-Fichman 1999;Chmielewski and Gardyński 2010;Verhecken 2010) point out, such analysis is extremely useful since it allows a better understanding of the whorl's mechanics by calculating its spinning speed and torque force. Such performance cannot be determined using only measures such as weight, height and orifice diameter.…”