How old are spindle whorls?

See below for details, but in general it seems that lead whorls make up a small proportion of the whorls in use from the 10th to at least the 14th century, c. 900-1400 AD.

What is a medieval spindle?

A medieval spindle typically had a very small, light, removable whorl, usually at the bottom of the shaft, that was made of clay, bone, stone, or lead. In the past few years, a few modern spinners have rediscovered the advantages of this style of spindle.

How were spindle whorls made?

Spindle whorls were used to weight spindles when hand-spinning yarn. They were made in a variety of materials including stone, ceramic fragments and fired clay.

How do you use a medieval spindle?

2:493:55Medieval Hand Spindle Preparation - YouTubeYouTube

How do you make a spindle out of yarn?

1:1422:37DIY Drop Spindle - YouTubeYouTube

What is a cotton spindle?

A spindle is a straight spike usually made from wood used for spinning, twisting fibers such as wool, flax, hemp, cotton into yarn. Spindles come in many different sizes and weights depending on the thickness of the yarn one desires to spin.

How do you use the bottom whorl drop spindle?

To begin spinning on a bottom whorl drop spindle, attach a leader to your spindle by tying a piece of yarn about 18 inches long onto the shaft right above the whorl, then take the yarn over the side of the whorl, loop it around the shaft underneath, and back over the side of the whorl, and secure the end onto the hook.