[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Reference works](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference) › [An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989) › v1.c11.s25 # An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c11.s25: 6.25 Spindle-whorls An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c11.s25 - **Language:** English ### 6.25 Spindle-whorls ### [v1.c11.s25.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v1.c11.s25.1) Spindle-whorls are circular objects, with one or more central holes, used as a flying wheel in a spindle (\*takli\*). They may either be disc-shaped or plano-convex in section, made of materials like terracotta, bone, shell, faïence, stone, metal and wood. The one-holed whorls, fixed to simple metal or wooden spindles, were possibly used in spinning cotton as can be guessed from their light weight and small size of the hole. In whorls with more than one hole as many split wooden spindles were used, possibly to spin coarse fabric such as jute. It is quite likely that the large terracotta objects identified beads shaped like an areca-nut, with a concave base, often found at habitation sites, were also used as spindle-whorls. ### [v1.c11.s25.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v1.c11.s25.2) The earliest specimen goes back to the Harappa \[4.9\] period. Apart from Harappa, Mohenjo-daro and Chanhu-daro, sites like LOTHAL, SURKOTADA and KALIBANGAN have yielded a number of specimens of single-holed whorls. Belonging to a slightly later period are the finds from the Neolithic-Chalcolithic \[4.6, 4.14\] sites like INAMGAON, BAGOR, AHAR² and CHIRAND. Their popularity continued in the early Iron Age. At ALAMGIRPUR they have been reported from the PGW \[4.15\] levels. At HASTINĀPURA they occur in the levels of the early centuries of the Christian era. Outside the subcontinent they have been reported from Ghassul and Megiddo in Palestine, Naqada in Egypt and Troy in Greece—all in levels belonging to the 3rd and 2nd millennia B.C. ### [v1.c11.s25.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v1.c11.s25.3) For sites see respective entries in vol. II.—R.P. SHARMA ## Linked texts (11) - [Harappā](https://indike.org/pramana/inp.site.harappa) - [Mohenjo-daro](https://indike.org/pramana/inp.site.mohenjo-daro) - [Lothal](https://indike.org/pramana/inp.site.lothal) - [Kālībangan](https://indike.org/pramana/inp.site.kalibangan) - [Chanhu-daro](https://indike.org/pramana/inp.site.chanhu-daro) - [Surkotada](https://indike.org/pramana/inp.site.surkotada) - [Alamgirpur](https://indike.org/pramana/inp.site.alamgirpur) - [Hastināpura](https://indike.org/pramana/inp.site.hastinapura) - [Chirand](https://indike.org/pramana/inp.site.chirand) - [Inamgaon](https://indike.org/pramana/inp.site.inamgaon) - [Bagor](https://indike.org/pramana/inp.site.bagor) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v1.c11.s25](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.ghosh-1989.v1.c11.s25) · Pramāṇa