The Spinning Experiment: influences on yarn in spinning with a hand-spindle

Summary

The hand-spindle was the primary tool for spinning for most of human history. For such a long track record, there is astonishingly little known about the influences of this simple tool on the yarn fabricated with its help. The spinning experiment was designed to isolate four possible influences - weight, moment of inertia, fiber and spinner - to see if any hard connections between these factors and the yarn spun can be found. It is the first experiment of this kind and the first source of statistical data to estimate connections and influences. With this data as the basis of an in-depth analysis, it can be concluded that the spinner making the yarn is the most important factor for spinning with a hand-spindle, while the three other factors have differing but altogether quite small or even no visible influences.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• EXARC Experimental Archaeology Collection

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): EXARC Experimental Archaeology Collection Manager

Record Identifiers

ExArc Id(s): 14056

Notes

Rights & Attribution: The information in this record was originally compiled by Dr. Roeland Paardekooper, EXARC Director.