Saturday, October 26, 2019

Colombian Spindle Whorls

In 2017 I went to Bogata Colombia to visit friends. A trip to the Museo del Oro, the Museum of Gold, revealed many treasures. Artists have been working in gold in Colombia for 2500 years. 





Equally as enchanting to me were the ancients spindle whorls, alas not gold.  One of the explanations hinted that the whorls were cast using a lost wax technique, but they look like engraved ceramic to me. If you know, please get in touch!  The display noted that both sisal (from the agave) and cotton were spun and used to make fabrics and functional objects, although I learned that fique, which is similar to sisal, was and still is cultivated to spin a strong fiber twine.







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