Sir John Evans's Collections of Artefacts
Anglo-Saxon Spindlewhorl
Country of Origin: Britain
Description: Spindlewhorl made of greenish-yellow glass with yellow decoration.
Dimensions: 3.1cm diameter
Object Period: Anglo-Saxon
Provenance: Near Cambridge
Museum Accession No.: AN1909.309
Aquisition History: Presented to the Ashmolean by Sir Arthur Evans in 1909.
Other Information: Remains of Anglo-Saxon glass making furnaces have been found in Britain, notably York, Glastonbury and Kent. Anglo-Saxon glass was directly influenced by Roman practices, but the results were generally less refined. A great deal of Anglo-Saxon glass was made by melting down broken Roman glass and re-working it. Sand and ash were mixed and heated together, it was then broken up and put into a crucible and melted in a furnace to produce glass, which was clear or slightly tined, it was then blown into a variety of shapes. Minerals were added to make coloured glass.