15,800 YEAR OLD IMAGE OF PALEOLITHIC AGE NET FISHING:

Fish in a net, engraved-plaquette, Gonnersdorf, Germany. Illustration from archaeology.org.

By far the earliest depiction of catching fish with a net has been discovered on a stone plaque at Gonnersdorf, Germany. “Scientists from the Leibniz Zentrum für Archäologie and Durham University have examined a collection of 406 engraved schist plaquettes found at the Magdalenian site of Gönnersdorf in Germany. The ancient engravings provide valuable insights into the fishing techniques and tools used by Paleolithic peoples, and how these practices were translated into visual culture through the depiction of nets characterized by interlaced diamond-shaped and square meshes.” (Prostak 2024)

Drawing of fish in a net, engraved plaquette, Gonnersdorf, Germany. Illustration from archaeology.org. Blue lines represent the fish, black lines are the net.

“The ~15,800 year-old Magdalenian site of Gönnersdorf, in Germany, has produced 406 engraved schist plaquettes which have been extensively studied in the past. The introduction of advanced imaging technologies, notably Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI), has now precipitated a re-evaluation of these artifacts, uncovering nuanced depictions of fishing practices previously unrecorded for the Upper Palaeolithic. Our investigation harnesses RTI to elucidate fine engraving details on the plaquettes, revealing depictions of fish and accompanying grid motifs. The analytical process enabled by RTI has exposed an intricate link between the grid patterns and fish figures, showing that they were a deliberate combination portraying the use of fishing nets. This discovery posits a significant departure from earlier interpretations of the site’s iconography, which predominantly emphasized more naturalistic representations of fauna. Furthermore, these findings illuminate aspects of Magdalenian cultural praxis, suggesting that representations of aquatic life and fishing technologies were not merely utilitarian in nature but were embedded within a broader symbolic framework. This study enhances our comprehension of Magdalenian peoples’ interaction with the aqueous milieu, revealing a sophisticated symbiosis between ecological adaptation and artistic expression.” (Robitaille et al. 2024)

Salmon figure, Abri du Poisson Cave, France. Internet image, public domain. The rectangular lines are saw cuts remaining from an illicit attempt to remove the carving.

Illustrations of fish have been discovered in a number of the Paleolithic painted caves of Europe, and elsewhere such as Lortet, Mas d’Azil, and Abri du Poisson.

 “Unlike the more celebrated sites known for their vivid fish depictions, Gönnersdorf’s abstract and minimalist style offers a fresh perspective on the socio-cultural dynamics of Magdalenian communities. Fishing with nets, deriving from a broad spectrum economy, reveals the diversity, adaptability and creativity of prehistoric communities, showcasing their proficiency in utilizing a variety of fishing techniques to sustainably exploit aquatic resources.” (Prostak 2024)

Ancient bone fish hooks have been discovered, as well as barbed harpoon points carved from bone, antler, or ivory.

“Prehistoric fishing deployed a diverse range of technologies and techniques, including various strategies for obtaining fish that can be summarised as active fishing, which requires direct human involvement with or near the fishing equipment, passive fishing, involving trapping methods, or a combination of both,” said Dr. Jérôme Robitaille of the Leibniz Zentrum für Archäologie and colleagues. Some methods were developed for individual catches, such as angling, while others were refined to maximize yields through the use of collective nets and traps. The selection of a particular method was influenced by the target fish species, as well as the distinct habitats and terrains where specific aquatic resources thrived. Although evidence for fishing in the Upper Plaeolithic (20,000 to 14,500 years ago) is not abundant, there is sporadic direct and indirect evidence of several fishing techniques, such as barbed points or harpoons, bows and arrows, traps, and fishing nets.” (Prostak 2024)

While we did know that Paleolithic peoples had cordage, and we knew that they ate fish from bones found in excavations, this is probably the first illustration of net fishing from that period. In a way this makes them more human and relatable. Imagine them sitting around their fire telling lies about the one that got away.

NOTE: Some images in this posting were retrieved from the internet with a search for public domain photographs. If any of these images are not intended to be public domain, I apologize, and will happily provide the picture credits if the owner will contact me with them. For further information on these reports you should read the original reports at the sites listed below.

REFERENCES:

Nitzsche, Christina, 2024, Oldest depictions of fishing discovered in Ice Age Art: Camp site reveals 15,800 year old engravings of fish trapping, 7 November 2024, Phys.org, https://phys.org/news/2024. Accessed online 7 November 2024.

Prostak, Sergio, 2024, 15,800 Year Old Engraved Plaquettes Shed Light on Paleolithic Fishing Techniques, 11 November 2024, https://www.sci.news/archaeology. Accessed online 11 November 2024.

Robitaille, Jerome, et al., 2024, Upper Palaeolithic fishing techniques: Insights from the engraved plaquettes of the Magdalenian site of Gonnersdorf, Germany, 6 November 2024, Plos, https://journals.plos.org. Accessed onlne 7 November 2024.