Researchers have uncovered a remarkable etching at a Paleolithic campsite in Gönnersdorf, Germany, believed to be one of the earliest depictions of fishing, dating back approximately 15,800 years.
The discovery, made by a team from Durham University and the Leibniz Zentrum für Archäologie, involved advanced imaging techniques that revealed a fish engraving behind grid-like patterns on a schist plaquette. This artifact not only represents the oldest known depiction of fishing in European prehistory but also serves as the only material evidence indicating how Paleolithic hunter-gatherers caught fish.
According to the researchers, while it is established that fish were part of the diet of these hunter-gatherers, no prior evidence existed regarding their fishing methods. The grid patterns on the plaquette are interpreted as fishing nets or traps.
This find is part of a larger collection of engraved plaquettes from the Gönnersdorf site, which housed hunter-gatherers during the Late Upper Paleolithic period. Previous interpretations of the site's artwork primarily focused on naturalistic depictions of animals. The inclusion of a fishing scene suggests a broader range of subjects explored by Ice Age artists.
The interdisciplinary research team employed various techniques, including Reflectance Transformation Imaging, to gain insights into the artifacts. They propose that the plaquettes' texture and shape may have influenced the artists' choices, a phenomenon known as pareidolia.
Furthermore, the researchers speculate that fishing may have played a role in the symbolic and social practices of Late Upper Paleolithic communities. This discovery underscores the idea that technologies like fishing nets, though rarely found in archaeological records, have deep historical roots.
The Gönnersdorf fish plaquette contributes significantly to our understanding of Ice Age art and the daily lives of our ancestors, suggesting that their inspirations extended beyond mere representations of animals to include practical activities.