Page:The Ancient Stone Implements (1897).djvu/459

Rh any lake-dwelling. It seems probable that the raw materials employed in neolithic times in Britain must have been of the same character; but we have here no such means of judging of the relative antiquity of the textile art, as those at the command of the Swiss antiquaries. Woven tissues have, however, been found with ancient interments, apparently of the Bronze Age, by Canon Greenwell, and Messrs. Mortimer, but made of wool, and not of vegetable fibre. An article on prehistoric spinning and weaving written by Dr. G. Buschan is wortb consulting, as well as one by Dr. Joseph Anderson, on these processes in connexion with brochs. Sir Arthur Mitchell has also written on the subject of the spindle and whorl.

In spinning with the distaff and spindle, the rotatory motion of the latter is maintained by a small fly-wheel or "spindle-whorl," very generally formed of stone, but sometimes of other materials, with a perforation in the centre, in which the wooden or bone spindle was fastened, the part below the whorl tapering to a point so as to be readily twirled between the finger and thumb, and the part above, being also pointed, but longer, so as to admit of the thread when spun being wound round it, the yarn in the act of being spun being attached to the upper point. These spindle-whorls are, as might be anticipated, frequently found in various parts of the country; and though, from the lengthened period during which this mode of spinning was practised, it is impossible under ordinary circumstances to determine the antiquity of any specimen, yet they appear to have been sufficiently long out of use for local superstitions to have attached to them, as in Cornwall they are commonly known by the name of "Pisky grinding-stones," or "Pixy's grindstones." In North Britain, they are also familiarly called Pixy-wheels, and in Ireland "Fairy mill-stones." In Harris, and Lewis, the distaff and spindle are still in common use, and were so until quite recently on the mainland of Scotland. For twisting hair-lines or "imps" for fishing, stone, lead, or earthenware whorls with a hook in them are used. They are known by the name of "imp-stones." Notwithstanding this recent use, the original intention of the stone spindle-whorls, which occur in Scotland, as elsewhere, appears often to be unknown. They are called clach-nathrach, adder-stones or snake-stones, and have an origin assigned them much like that of the ovum anguinum of Pliny. "When cattle are bitten by snakes, the snake-stone is put into water, with which the affected part is washed, and it is cured forthwith." Glass beads with spirals on them seem to have been regarded as even more efficacious.