Spindle Whorl
Item number Nbz900 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.
Item number Nbz900 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.
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Rounded, wooden disc with a hole perforating the center. One surface is slightly concave and the other is slightly convex. The convex surface has two darkened parallel lines along one side. Both sides have small chisel marks on their surfaces. The wood is a red-brown colour with darkened areas.
Homer Barnett (1955) notes that spindle whorls used by the southern Coast Salish of British Columbia are larger than those used in the north, with a shaft that is twice as long as the whorl. In the north, fibres were spun on smaller whorls that were "twirled between the leg and palm (1955:118)." By contrast, whorls such as this one were used to spin fibres that were suspended from overhead. This arrangement created a tension in the roving. Johnson and Bernick (1986) report that traditionally several different techniques were used for turning the spindle, however, contemporary weavers now make use of a spinning machine that is similar in appearance to a treadle sewing machine.
Purchased by the collector at Koksilah.
weaving; spinning
Made from a square piece of wood which had its corners rounded to create this circular object.
This data has been provided to the RRN by the MOA: University of British Columbia. We've used it to provide the information on the Data tab.
Purchased by the collector at Koksilah.
weaving; spinning
Homer Barnett (1955) notes that spindle whorls used by the southern Coast Salish of British Columbia are larger than those used in the north, with a shaft that is twice as long as the whorl. In the north, fibres were spun on smaller whorls that were "twirled between the leg and palm (1955:118)." By contrast, whorls such as this one were used to spin fibres that were suspended from overhead. This arrangement created a tension in the roving. Johnson and Bernick (1986) report that traditionally several different techniques were used for turning the spindle, however, contemporary weavers now make use of a spinning machine that is similar in appearance to a treadle sewing machine.
Rounded, wooden disc with a hole perforating the center. One surface is slightly concave and the other is slightly convex. The convex surface has two darkened parallel lines along one side. Both sides have small chisel marks on their surfaces. The wood is a red-brown colour with darkened areas.
Made from a square piece of wood which had its corners rounded to create this circular object.
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