Spindle whorls were a useful accessory to the spindle; wool would have been twisted around the spindle then spun and left to drop pulling the fibres and creating yarn. The whorl would have been attached to the spindle helping to control the speed of the process. The weight of a whorl would determine the force applied while the diameter dictated the amount of twists performed during one spin. This technique for spinning dated from the Iron Age to early post-medieval periods.
The dot-and-circle motif was one used across cultures and times. It is thought it possibly served an apotropaic purpose by warding of the evil eye, although this has not been verified fully. The motif was used frequently on Near Eastern spindle whorls along with other geometric patterns and the representation of anthropomorphic and zoomorphic figures.
