Ancient Fishing Gear and Associated Artifacts from Underwater Explorations in Israel - A Comparative Study

Abstract

Underwater archaeological explorations along the Israeli coast have revealed fish remains, fishing gear, and auxiliary implements. These were recovered from submerged prehistoric villages, anchorages, harbors, fishing grounds, and shipwreck sites. Prehistoric fishing techniques included free-diving fishing and fishing by nets and hooks. A set of fishing gear recovered from a Roman shipwreck off the Carmel coast included netting tools, fishing hooks, lead sinkers, and auxiliary tools. The sinkers found in this wreck, some decorated, enabled the identification of cast net(s), passive standing nets and beach seines. A discovered set of artifacts used for fishing by light included cast net sinkers, a fishing spear, an iron fire basket and a sounding weight. Auxiliary implements found in Israel included sounding weights for fishing ground location, grapnels and rings for salvaging lost gear, and coral harvesting gear. Documents written by ancient authors and mosaics helped in identifying the recovered fishing artifacts.