Spindle Item Number: Sf976 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Spindle consisting of a wooden shaft with cup-shaped whorl positioned near one end. The whorl is roughly circular and smoothed by abrasion. A small cone of z spun yarn is wrapped on the shaft above the whorl and a handful of unspun white wool is attached to the twisted yarn. The fleece has some kemp or coarse hairs.
History Of Use
Men, women and children spin yarn whenever their hands are not otherwise occupied; while walking, herding or visiting. Children learn to spin between 3 and 5 years of age. The majority of yarns are spun from a families own sheep's wool. Alpaca fibre is traded. Commercial yarns are purchased in Puno and re-twisted to make them suitably durable for warp-faced textiles. Fine wool yarns are plied tightly and used in the pattern bands of the warp-faced fabrics made by women on the horizontal ground loom.
Narrative
Spun by Pelagia Quispe Cruz specifically for the Museum on a spindle previously used by the family.
Specific Techniques
Fine z-twist yarn is spun by supporting the tip of the spindle on the ground.
Iconographic Meaning
The direction of yarn twist for ordinary use ply. Yarns spun in the opposite direction to this are made for ritual and magical purposes and are called lloq'e or 'left' spinning.
Cultural Context
textile production
Item History
- Made by Pelagia Quispe de Yucra (Maker) in Taquile, Puno, Peru on May 16, 1982
- Collected by Mary Frame during 1982
- Owned by Mary Frame before February 10, 1983
- Received from Mary Frame (Seller) and Museum of Anthropology Shop Volunteers (Funding source) on February 10, 1983
What
- Name
- Spindle
- Identification Number
- Sf976
- Type of Item
- spindle
- Material
- wool fibre and wood
- Manufacturing Technique
- whittled and spun
- Overall
- height 27.1 cm, diameter 4.3 cm
Who
- Culture
- Quechua
- Creator
- Pelagia Quispe de Yucra (Maker)
- Field Collector
- Mary Frame
- Previous Owner
- Mary Frame
- Received from
- Mary Frame (Seller) and Museum of Anthropology Shop Volunteers (Funding source)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Taquile, Puno, Peru
When
- Creation Date
- on May 16, 1982
- Collection Date
- during 1982
- Ownership Date
- before February 10, 1983
- Acquisition Date
- on February 10, 1983
Other
- Item Classes
- textiles
- Condition
- good
- Accession Number
- 0861/0034