Spindle Whorl

Unknown

9th–10th century · Bone; tinted, incised, and inlaid with paint · Islamic Art

Spindle whorls aided in the making of thread by maintaining the momentum of the spindle. This pink-toned, semi-spherical spindle whorl was excavated during the Metropolitan Museum’s excavation at Nishapur, in eastern Iran. It is one piece but has been divided into three levels. A deep indention, below the raised lip, leads to an inverted slope shaped body on which there is a band of dot-in-circles 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.

Artist

Unknown

Date

9th–10th century

Medium

Bone; tinted, incised, and inlaid with paint

Department

Islamic Art

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1940