MovieChat Forums > The Mists of Avalon (2001) Discussion > Spinning wheel

Spinning wheel

posted 9 years ago by jesscejnar
1 reply | jump to latest

Most people probably wouldn't notice this or care, but the use of a treadle powered spinning wheel (Igraine (Caroline Goodall's character) uses this in the first few scenes of the film) in this film is historically inaccurate. The book is set during the 5th and 6th centuries and correctly mentions the drop spindle as the method of spinning (it's what made me want to learn in the first place).

The treadle powered spinning wheel wasn't invented until the 1500s, a thousand years later. Even the great wheel, which was powered by turning the wheel by hand, wasn't used in Europe until the 14th century. Whorl-weighed drop spindles (essentially a stick with a weight) have been around since Neolithic times.

Again, something most people probably wouldn't notice or care about, but one of the things about this miniseries that irritates me. I couldn't even finish watching it, it was so bad.

[–] starseed062 9 years ago

They used a spindle in the book. Same effect- put them both in a trance. Spinning wheel just looks better on film. I forgive it.