Posted on 11/26/2011 6:42:41 AM PST by Dysart
Humans were expert deep-sea fishermen as far back as 42,000 years ago, hauling in tuna, sharks and barracudas, new research suggests. Fish appeared in the human diet about 1.9 million years ago. Early catchers waded into freshwater lakes and streams without the need for boats or complex tools. It wasn't until later that humans decided to ply the ocean in search of fish. The latest evidence comes from an excavation on the southeast Asian island of East Timor where remains of tuna and other deep-water fish were uncovered inside a cave. Using dating techniques, a team led by archaeologist Sue O'Connor of Australian National University determined the age to be 42,000 years old — making it the earliest evidence for ocean fishing.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
“What did they use for fishing line?”
How did they attach the fishing line?
Fishing: Its so easy a CAVEMAN can do it!!
It looks to me as if it designed to be pushed into the end of a thin spear. It may have been baited or perhaps an area was chummed, the spear dropped under neath the fish and then pulled up quickly to gig the fish. Could also have attgached to a piece orock or wood and let down. The line would be attached tto the larger piece of stone or wood.
The presence of tuna does mean that they were out a ways.
God is real good at faking the age of such objects to fool stupid humans, when he knows well the earth he created is only 6,245 years old this past October.
Either sinew, or some fibrous plant material. See here.
Mastering the art of fishing, whether using hooks, spears, or fish traps, would have been a way to get good protein while not needing to expend a lot of energy. If you had the village by a river, those not physically-fit to go hunting could have fished.
You can find ocean fish relatively close to shore. A canoe or outrigger would have been ok. Landing a tuna would have been interesting, but Eskimos were catching whales using fairly primitive boats too.
Well, duh? The inner strands of paracord, obviously.
Couple of points on the fish hooks.
1. They were probably made to be snelled (wrapped) like other fishing hooks that we now make (spade type has a flattened section where the eye sould normally go and it is used by match fishermen according to Mustad).
2. In the 1980s when I started fly fishiing I do remember dry fly hooks that had no eye. You snelled and supposedly they made beautiful flies that sat beautifully on top of the water.
3. Apparently there are still a large number of eyeless hooks still made and they are simply snelled. They are common in commercial fishing and Africa.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.