Spindle Whorl c. 15th century

Editor: This is a 15th-century wooden spindle whorl, made anonymously. It looks so simple, just this weighty sphere. What can we even say about it? What do you see when you look at it? Curator: It's unassuming, I agree, but powerful when you think about its role. These objects weren’t displayed in museums originally; they were essential to textile production. It represents women’s labor in a period of guild formation and increasing market economies. How did their contributions shape medieval society? Editor: So it's not *just* a simple tool. Its form also has historical significance? Curator: Exactly. The uniformity of the shape points to a communal understanding of functionality. Each whorl embodies hours of labor; consider how many textiles existed in this period and then multiply it by how many whorls, and then think about labor conditions and economic benefit in medieval society! What does that suggest to you about the politics of making in the 15th century? Editor: That puts its humble presence into perspective! It makes me wonder about how textiles functioned as markers of status then too and what labor went into that! Curator: Precisely! Its beauty lies not only in its shape, but the intersection of labor, craft, and gender roles in a very different world. We understand 15th-century economy better by viewing a whorl this way. Editor: I never would have considered how something this small could hold such a big history. Thanks for helping me unpack this.