Árbók Hins íslenzka fornleifafélags - 01.01.1991, Page 48

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ÁRBÓK FORNLEIFAFÉLAGSINS
reveals that the word skotrokkur, directly adopted from the Danish skotrok, meant a spindle
wheel, cf. notes 19 and 60, and Figures 8 and 9, while flyer spinning wheels were designated
by the term spunarokkur or just rokkur, cf. notes 59, 62 and 63. Spindle wheels never came into
general use among domestic spinners in Iceland, cf. notes 87, 92, 98 and 108; they preferred
the flyer spinning wheels, especially the vertical spinning wheel, stcmdrokkur, cf. notes 104-106.
No 18th century spinning wheel of any kind is known to have survived in lceland.
Although it cannot be proven from the references studied, it would seem that the use of
the word skotrokkur for horizontal flyer spinning wheels came into use in Iceland at some time
during the first half of the 19th century, cf. notes 109-111. The earliest known certain use of
the term in this manner dates, however, from 1880-1881, cf. note 120. According to tradition,
the oldest preserved locally produced horizontal flyer spinning wheel was made by a clergy-
man who died in 1803, although more likely it was made by his son (d. 1839), since the type
apparently first evolved abroad in the early 19th century; both father and son were excellent
carpenters, cf. notes 133-136 and Figure 16. The oldest imported spinning wheel of this type
in existence in Iceland may date from as early as 1811, cf. notes 142-145 and Figure 17; it was
imported from Norway, as were also horizontal flyer spinning wheels towards the end of the
century and during the first half of the 20th century, cf. notes 163 and 156-158, and Figures
19 and 18. However, one existing spinning wheel of this type, from the 19th century, is said
to have been brought from Scotland, cf. notes 150-151. Figure 20 shows a disk wheel, borðhjól,
from a vambarokkur, the local name for horizontal flyer spinning wheels in a certain district
in southern Iceland; it was made by a farmer for his wife in 1836, cf. notes 166-168.