Aluminium Ooparts classified as spindle-whorl?

originally posted by: stormcell
Here's a stone spindle whorl from the Minoan era:

www.metmuseum.org...

I haven't been able to find any metal ones. Thought it might have been the tip of an umbrella (ferrule), but didn't find anything.

That item looks like it could be platinum or silver.

It can't be any of those two elements as silver weighs 6 ounces per cubic inch, the item weighs 1.5 ouches and has a volume of 1 cubic inch - that is exactly what aluminium weighs (weighs 1.5 ounces ) per cubic inch. Platinum is even an even more unfitting candidate with its very heavy weight of 12 ounces per cubic inch.

If it was silver the item given its volume would weigh 6 ounces which is 3 times its real weight; the only metal that matches the weight per volume is aluminium with its 1.5 ounces per cubic inch.

-MM

Or someone could just write and ask...

originally posted by: Byrd
Or someone could just write and ask...

I just did. I'll let everyone know as soon as I get a response.

a reply to: MerkabaMeditation

It doesn't matter if it's made of aluminum because it's not an "OOPART", the collection is from the 20th century, found in a former area of heavy British influence and the British were exporting aluminum products since the 1890s

originally posted by: punkinworks10
a reply to: MerkabaMeditation

It doesn't matter if it's made of aluminum because it's not an "OOPART", the collection is from the 20th century, found in a former area of heavy British influence and the British were exporting aluminum products since the 1890s

THAT makes sense. My calibrated eyeball gives a volume to weight that's within about 10% of the figure for aluminum. I considered other metals but nothing (other than maybe beryllium ... even more unlikely) comes close. I'm betting it's some sort of machine part.

a reply to: MerkabaMeditation

As I understand it 'spindle whorl' is almost a joke classification for anything round with a hole in it.

To spin yarn from fibre the most basic method is to roll it between your hands. Once you have enough length you can tie it onto a rock and set the rock spinning while you tease out more fibre. The next step up from a rock is a rock with a hole in it, a witch stone, it's easier to tie the yarn on securely. Large witch stones made formidable weapons when attached to a length of strong cord made out of multiple thin spun threads. Everybody carried one or more because everybody needed cord, rope, thread and yarn for various purposes.

Yarn can also be spun with a stick. Next step up is to use the stick and stone together as a spindle. We have our first actual spindle whorl. It would be very odd to use a lightweight spindle whorl. It may be done for spinning very fine thread, but probably not with such a comparatively large hole for the stick.

I wouldn't classify this as a spindle whorl, unless I was in a hurry to pack up and go home.

a reply to: Kester

From what I can see of the markings on the sides of the object, I don't see how it was used as a spindle whirl. Notice the scratches on the sides are almost uniformly parallel oblique lines? That says to me it this object's use involved it spinning in a constant direction while travelling (rather slowly) along the hole's axis. As far as I can tell a spindle whirl is just dangled and spun in a stationary position. No idea what it was used for... maybe a lugnut for a wheel?

a reply to: Slanter

Could the scratches be file marks? It could possibly be a roughly finished decorative piece rather than a mechanical component.

A spindle can be dangled free or sat in a bowl on the floor or in a cup fixed to a belt.

Here she's spinning with the spindle resting on the floor in front of her.

Here's a different type of spindle sitting on the floor.

And here we see the spindle supported in a cup on a belt. Spinning while walking is frequently practised by shepherds.

There are many more variations in spindles. It's easy to see why the 'spindle whorl' classification is a temptation when the classifier doesn't want to say they don't know what it is.

originally posted by: AdmireTheDistance

originally posted by: Byrd
Or someone could just write and ask...

I just did. I'll let everyone know as soon as I get a response.

Did you ever get an answer from the museum?

-MM