A 1919 hand-tinted photograph showing a man from Ramallah spinning wool. Spinning is the act of twisting plant, animal or synthetic fibers into yarn. It is an ancient textile art, with archaeological evidence dating back to the Upper Paleolithic era, some 20,000 years ago. For thousands of years, fiber was spun by hand using simple tools, the spindle and distaff. Only in the High Middle Ages did the spinning wheel increase the output of individual spinners, and mass-production only arose in the 18th century with the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution. In the 20th century, new techniques were invented to produce yarns at rates in excess of 40 metres (130 ft) per second. Hand-spinning remains a popular handicraft.Photo: American Colony; Restoration: Lise Broer