My Spindle Whorl Collection

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Ronan01
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I found a nice decorated spindle whorl the other day so I decided to sort all of the spindle whorls I’ve found over the last three years in North Wales. I like all the different varieties although I wish they weren’t so hard to put a date on. Two of the decorated flat ones have been recorded but still haven’t been put on the database after two years.

Most are spindle whorls but some may be weights or something else entirely.

Interested to hear people’s thoughts on all of them. Especially the primitive and flat ones. Have any favourites?
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Ronan01
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Also, here are some images of stone ones I’ve seen online that have a similar pattern to some of my flat ones.
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bwc-hunter
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I love finding spindle whorls, there's something very personal about them. You've got a great collection there :thumbsup:
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Dave The Slave
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That`s a good collection.
Have only ever found one, nine years ago.
Cheers, :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Dave.
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Pete E
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Lovely collection of whorls!

I have read various things with regards dating them, but the patterned whorls I have recorded on PAS all seem to have quite a wide possible date range covering mid Medieval to post Medieval...

Do you have any thoughts your self regard the age of the various types?

Personally I like the patterned flat versions as I have not yet found one of those, which is strange as I suspect we detect much the same general area of North Wales..

With records the whorls you have labeled as "disk"...As you know they are peculiar to our part of North Wales, and I have been lucky enough to find three , although I know them as "rope edged" spindle whorls...

(Edited to add I know a certain lady who will be well jel when she sees your collection of patterned whorls! 😂)
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clint
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Lots of whorls in north Wales . There is a regional specific type with a frame around it.
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Easylife
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Nice. :thumbsup:
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Graham
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Very impressive, i also like the flat ones, we don't have them in North Yorks or maybe i just have never found one. :thumbsup:
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Pete E
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clint wrote: ↑Sun Aug 23, 2026 5:34 pm Lots of whorls in north Wales . There is a regional specific type with a frame around it.
They are the ones Ronan has labeled up as "Disk"..
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Ronan01
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Pete E wrote: ↑Sun Aug 23, 2026 4:25 pm
Do you have any thoughts your self regard the age of the various types?

Personally I like the patterned flat versions as I have not yet found one of those, which is strange as I suspect we detect much the same general area of North Wales..
I’m always trying to narrow it down as best as I can - the flat ones, especially the decorated ones are mostly said to date to the early medieval period, maybe middle Saxon to narrow it down. I have had a few early medieval bits nearby so it makes sense. (The stone one on Facebook was said to have come from 5th-7th century layers, and its design is similar to mine. I had a pin head of the same date only a few metres away).

The primitive/wonky ones can be any age but are sometimes said to be possibly as old as Roman. The conical decorated ones tend to be the typical medieval/post medieval types. Then the rest I’m not sure :thumbsup:
Hopefully one day they’ll have found some more lead ones in context to give a better idea :)
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Grassmarket
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Impressive for 3 years :thumbsup:
Still haven't found what I'm looking for.
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Rob
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I love whorls, as I feel they are a tangible connection to the people who were probably sitting right where they lost them. I'm in North Yorkshire and pretty exclusively find decorated conical ones. Thanks for sharing yours: an impressive collection.
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Oxgirl
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A lovely collection Ronan. I’m very jealous of the decorated ones as we just don’t find them in my area. The nearest I’ve found is a thin, flat one that was decorated on both sides. It was found with a thicker flat one. Not even sure it was a whorl!

Interesting on the dates. Here I also find conical shaped ones. Well conical shaped without the pointy bit. They seem to be early - I suspect 11-13th century. Similarly ones with a rounded top and flat bottom that I suspect are from a similar period. As they were made locally I guess regional differences are bound to happen.

Thank you for sharing :clapping:

I want to know if anyone has found a stone or bone one. That would be very special!
Yes I really don’t like Roman coins, I’m not joking
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