3D Digitization of Spindle Whorls from Pre-Contact Central Mexico

Summary

Three-dimensional digitization technology is opening up a new world of opportunities for the analysis and manipulation of artifacts without the risk of extraneous handling of the original, which could compromise preservation. This poster examines the practice of digital scanning on a collection of Mesoamerican spindle whorls at the South Florida Museum in Bradenton, Florida, discussing the hardware and software used for digitization, as well as the process of creating accurate three-dimensional scans of each item in the collection. Digital scanning technology can be used to better understand how spindle whorls were used, and what designs were better for certain fabrics and why.

These scans detail intricate facets of the design and structure that might not be visible to the naked eye, and which can assist in the identification of cultural and/or religious themes represented in the construction and decoration. The spindle whorls in this collection are from the general area of pre-contact Central Mexico, and I hope to conclude what type of fabric each whorl was used with, and whether this indicates use by elites in the society or in a more agrarian or household context.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)   •
• Textile Technologies of Prehispanic Mesoamerica and the Andes

Keywords

Spatial Coverage