Studying the way ancient humans used to sustain themselves is one of the hardest things to do in archaeology. Much of the materials they once used have long since perished, things like plant fibres and wood.
Some things like spears and daggers have been found, but other modes of hunting, like fishing, have long been mysteries.
That is until archaeologists working in Israel came across one of the largest collections of early fishing technology.
It offered an unprecedented insight into how our ancestors survived in what was a brutal environment.
Found in Jordan River Dureijay in the Hula Valley, northern Israel, researchers believe that the grooved stones were used as weights for the rods, and were crafted some 12,000 years ago.
The groundbreaking research study, published in 2021, was explored in BBC Science Focus magazine, in which Professor Gonen Sharon of Tel Hai College, Israel, told the publication: “The hooks are amazingly similar to modern hooks – in size, in features (like barbs) and in the dexterity of making.”
He continued: “Moreover, the hooks present features that are rarely found in modern-day hooks – for example, an outer lower barb aiming to function as a ‘point of no return’ to prevent the fish from escaping the hook.”
The methods are believed to have emerged during a vital waypoint in human history. Around that time, they were transitioning from nomadic to agricultural lifestyles, beginning to settle down in one place and toil the land.
The humans that fashioned their own fishing rods marked the in-between stage. While they maintained their hunter-gatherer culture, they lived in a single space, usually a stone house.
Their diets relied heavily on fish because while other resources could be exhausted, fish were replenished and were also available all year round.
A huge variety of hooks were found, showing that the people who used them understood that different tools were needed for different fish.
“Looking at the hooks, we see that there are no two similar ones. Each hook is different in size, features and style,” Prof Sharon said. “This variability can be explained by the excellent knowledge these people had regarding fish behaviour.
“We also know, from the fish bones found at the site, that the size of fish caught ranges from very small fish to giant carp over 2 metres in length.”
While the tools were extremely similar to those used by anglers today, they featured unique characteristics.
Prof Sharon explained: “The JRD fishers didn’t drill holes in the hooks (possibly because the bones are not strong enough) but instead used sophisticated and diverse methods of attaching the line to the hook and weights hooks, like grooves, bulges and sophisticated knots, and even the use of glue.”
Many of the grooves and plant fibre residues on the beds of the hooks suggest that the fishers were using artificial lures, much like those you can find in any tackle shop today.
“The use of fly fishing indicates a full and deep knowledge of fish behaviour,” Prof Sharon explained.
“You need to know that some fish species hunt by attacking insects near the water surface and will attack an artificial bite that pretends to be a fly.
“So, by 13,000 years ago they knew all there was to know about fish of the Hula Lake.”
