Lead Spindle Whorls
Following initial assessment, we are delighted to have started work on the objects destined for display in Perth City Hall.
The first artefacts that we treated are these lead spindle whorls. Lead was commonly used for making spindle whorls in the past, before its toxic properties were understood. Spindle whorls are used to spin yarn to create textiles; they provide the weight required on a spindle to keep it spinning. Spindle whorls have been used in textile production for thousands of years, but these examples are more recent, dating to the post-medieval period (after AD 1500).
The spindle whorls shown here needed a good clean, and some of them required consolidation too, to address flaking and deterioration. Initial cleaning was done with hand tools, gently removing dried-on soil. Any remaining traces were cleaned away using swabs moistened with solvents. The most fragile of the spindle whorls were consolidated using adhesive, applied in tiny quantities using a micropipette. All of this work was done with the aid of a microscope for precision and accuracy.
Conservation of lead objects brings with it additional health and safety considerations since lead and its corrosion products are hazardous and toxic. Conservator Rowan wore gloves and a mask to keep him safe from any lead dust while working on the spindle whorls.
