Spindle

Carved from wood, this traditional item features a cruciform shape attached to a long wooden shaft. The join is reinforced with scraps of coloured fabric that are wound around both parts. An iron alloy shaft with a hook at the top runs through the join and is secured to the shaft with the fabric.
The cruciform is decorated on top with parallel lines. This spindle would have been used to spin sheep wool and goat and camel hair, turning it into threads that are gathered into balls known as hiswa, or pebbles.