Spindle Whorl
Not on view
Spindle whorls aided in the making of thread by maintaining the momentum of the spindle. This flat bottomed spindle whorl was excavated at Nishapur. The slightly convex shape is decorated with a thin incision around the central hole to delineate the raised collar from the body, from which double incised lines forming angles that radiate outward, similar to a star design. Hundreds of spindle whorls were excavated at Nishapur, providing further evidence that the city possessed a thriving textile industry. Their incised designs exhibit a wide variety of motifs ranging from geometric forms to zoomorphic figures.
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