83-167

Clay spinning and weaving implements from Sesklo

Μελέτες

• Παπαευθυμίου-Παπανθίμου, Αικατερίνη

The present study, which is part of the overall publication of the prehistoric settlement at Sesklo in Thessaly, deals with a distinct category of small finds: clay spinning and weaving implements (whorls, loom-weights, bobbins).The whorls can be distinguished into two major groups: a) those made of pottery sherds and b) those specifically manufactured for spinning. Those of the second group were usually made of clay, were well fired and they sometimes bore decoration. They can further be classified into four subgroups: discoid, biconical, conical, spherical.Eight whorls made of potsherds occurred in EN strata; it is possible, however, that more existed, as there have survived sherd-whorls with their findstratum unspecified. Thread production at Sesklo can be consequently attributed to this phase, while the view is being reinforced that EN spinners favoured whorls made of appropriately perforated potsherds; the phenomenon has also been observed in other neolithic settlements, which yielded whorls dating to this period. At Sesklo, however, a discoid specimen implies the use of clay whorls since EN times.In the MN phase sherd-whorls continue to be in use, in parallel with a great variety of clay whorls (discoid, conical, biconical, spherical). Like all the whorls found in Sesklo, the MN ones are of medium size and weight. The existence of stone whorls in MN times has also been confirmed; these remain unique up to date examples of this phase in the Aegean area.A considerable number of clay bobbins also comes from the site. Of them fifty-two occurred in EN strata, twelve in MN, while a good number remains unspecified.At Sesklo there is hardly any evidence for loomweights similar to the EN and MN ones located in other prehistoric settlements. However, three bobbinshaped objects (two EN, one MN), weighing 82-280 gr each, can be classified into this category. Some of the heavier bobbins could have been used as loomweights also, while the rest would have been most probably used for amassing the thread.The more than likely use of these EN bobbin-shaped objects as loomweights leads to the conclusion that the relevant sort of loom had been adopted in Sesklo since the EN, as is also the case in the northernmost lying areas.As far as the craft specialisation at Sesklo is concerned, the lack of essential data about the distributions of the objects under study does not allow any reliable and detailed analysis. If weaving specialisation did exist, it is rather unlikely that it was large scale. The craftspeople could be designated rather as spare-time or part-time specialists.

• History and Archaeology
• Arts

• Ανασκαφές (Αρχαιολογία)
• Pottery, Greek

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