The earliest Near Eastern wooden spinning implements

Abstract

Abstract

On early metallurgy and textile-production technologies in the southern Levant: a response to Langgutet al.(2016)

“…A deep notch at the head of the wooden shaft was suggested by Langgut et al (2016: 982, tab. 2) to be a “groove to catch the yarn while the spindle was whirling”.…”

“…One of these shafts, from Ashalim Cave, was found with a metallic object still attached, which was introduced by Yahalom-Mack et al (2015: 1) as a macehead made of “the earliest lead in the Levant”. This object is interpreted by Langgut et al (2016: 986) as a ‘whorl’, with the possibility that this function was secondary to its use as a macehead.…”

“…Several aspects of the wooden shaft and macehead from Ashalim Cave render their interpretation as spindle and whorl difficult (cf. Langgut et al 2016: fig. 6; Yahalom-Mack et al 2015: fig.…”

“…Barber 1991: 65, fig. 2.32), but rather a laterally expanded round hole (Langgut et al 2016: fig. 8).…”

“… In a recent article published in this journal, Langgut et al (2016: 973) proposed five Late Chalcolithic ( c . 4300–4000 BC) wooden shafts to be “the earliest Near Eastern wooden spinning implements”.…”