Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

Serpentine whorl

Contributed by La Societe Sercquaise


In the 19th century many stone whorls were removed from Sark. More than a dozen cromlechs were broken up to provide boundary stones and farm buildings, and hundreds of small artefacts were dispersed. The whimsical Jersey name rouettes des faitaux associates these 'fairy cartwheels' with the inexplicable landscape of megaliths. Some of the Sark whorls may have had use as weights for drop spindles. This example, found recently at an Iron Age site, is highly polished and decoratively incised, so it was probably worn as a pendant. Green Serpentine is plentiful in Sark; its softness meant the stone could be easily rubbed or drilled. Sark's hard black dolerite was exported as high-quality axes and hammers in Neolithic times. Sark's soft Serpentine encouraged a specialised technology of stone-drilling in the Iron Age.


Comments are closed for this object

Share this link:

Most of the content on A History of the World is created by the contributors, who are the museums and members of the public. The views expressed are theirs and unless specifically stated are not those of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ or the British Museum. The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ is not responsible for the content of any external sites referenced. In the event that you consider anything on this page to be in breach of the site’s House Rules please Flag This Object.

About this object

Click a button to explore other objects in the timeline

Location

Isle of Sark, Channel Islands

Culture
Period
Theme
Size
H:
4.3cm
W:
4.3cm
D:
1.2cm
Colour
Material

View more objects from people in Guernsey.

Podcast

Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ iD

Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ navigation

Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Β© 2014 The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.

This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.