Company shutdown: From 3. to 6. October 2024 we are closed for business.Company shutdown: From 3. to 6. October 2024 we are closed for business.Company shutdown: From 3. to 6. October 2024 we are closed for business.
Dealers for museum supplies, medieval and Viking re-enactment or LARP are cordially invited to register as retailer for wholesale in Pera Peri's medieval shop. We guarantee the best quality at good prices with short delivery times!
Replica of a medieval spinning whorl made of clay.
Here you can buy a medieval spinning whorl made of clay, modelled on a historical model from the Viking Age.
This medieval spinning whorl was modelled on a Viking Age find from Birka, Sweden.
The medieval spinning whorl measures approx. 4 x 2.5 cm and has a conical hole of 1 to 1.5 cm.
Early finds of spinning whorls date back to around 6000 B.C. Since the Neolithic Age, spinning was done exclusively with the hand spindle. The first primitive hand spinning wheels did not appear until the high Middle Ages, i.e. the 13th century.
There are many differences between modern spinning with the hand spindle and the medieval version. Unlike most modern spindles, the rod and whorls of medieval spindles were not firmly attached to each other.
In the Middle Ages, spinning whorls were mostly made of clay, antler and bone. Soapstone was also used. The spinning whorl was simply attached to the tapered rod from below. This had the advantage that the weight could be reduced by using a lighter whorl for a larger amount of yarn or the whorl could be removed completely when the spindle was full.