Talia Yashuv and Leore Grosman, archaeologists from the Laboratory of Archeology of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, conducted important research on the perforated stones found at the site of Nahal Ein-Gev IIlocated in northern Israel. The results of the study, published in the scientific journal PLOS ONEreveal that these tools, identified as natufian spindle spindlesthey were used to spin textile fibres. This would be the first fast spinning technology ever documented, comparable to the principle of spinning the wheel. This discovery has rekindled a crucial question: could the wheel have arisen much earlier than previously thought?
12,000 year old stones: characteristics and historical context
The archaeological site of Nahal Ein-Gev II it is located in the Jordan Valley, about two kilometers east of the Sea of Galilee. They were found here 113 perforated stoneswhich the archaeologists divided into three categories: 48 with complete perforations, 36 broken with partial holes and 29 still in progress, presenting one or two initial incisions. The analysis suggests one local productionprobably performed directly by the Natufian community that lived in the area.
These stones, dating to approx 12,000 years agoare mainly made of soft limestone, with some exceptions in basalt. About 60% have a round and symmetrical shape, while the rest have more angular and irregular contours. Their workmanship and the significant number of incomplete pieces indicate that Natufian craftsmen already mastered advanced techniques for the time.
The use of 3D technologies in the study of spindle whorls
To analyze the stones, Yashuv and Grosman employed an innovative methodology based on the use of three-dimensional models. Thanks to a structured light scanner, it was possible to recreate high-resolution digital versions, which allowed the structure and characteristics of the perforations to be studied in detail.
The data collected made it possible to deduce that these tools were used to spin fibres, such as flax, confirming the thesis through practical experiments with replicas of the stones. The archaeologists underline the importance of the link between past and present: “Modern technology allows us to analyze the ingenuity of prehistoric craftsmen, broadening our understanding of the innovations that have marked human history.”
Spindle spindles and wheels: an unexpected connection?
Natufian whorls may represent the first example of a rotary technology. Leore Grosman has in fact stated that these perforated stones could be considered the first “wheels” in historyat least as regards the principle of mechanical rotation.
The properties of the spindle whorls recall the basic functions of the wheel, anticipating by millennia the more advanced applications, such as that of chariots, as explained by the archaeologists:
These tools highlight a rotational potential inherent in the properties of wheels, paving the way for a series of innovations that have radically transformed our relationship with technology.
