Review article

Fisheries through history up to the 19th century

Mia Ćurković
Petar Džaja ; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Krešimir Severin ; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Magdalena Palić ; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Jozo Grbavac ; The Faculty of Agriculture and Food Technology (APTF) of the University of Mostar
Emil Gjurčević ; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

The pierced stones, which have been found, served as weights for nets, and date from the earliest Stone Age, along with bone needles and remains of nets. When it comes to fishing, people have been using hooks since prehistoric times, while cavemen first made a hook from a sharp stone in the shape of a rhombus tied to a string. As the shape of the hook changed, so did the materials for its production. The stone hooks were then replaced by hooks made of bone, wood, and later by metal hooks. Archaeological and historical findings of numerous fishing tools confirm that humans have fished since the Upper Paleolithic, and the remains have been found of boats, nets, traps, and spears used in the Mesolithic period. In the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods, fishing was equal to hunting in terms of economic importance. The paper presents the method of catching fish used in ancient civilizations, the Middle Ages, as well as in more recent times up to the 19th century, throughout the world. Historical data based on archaeological finds indicate that humans used fishing gear as early as the Stone Age, and certainly engaged in fishing in the Upper Paleolithic. The ancient Egyptians engaged in fishing 5500-4000 years B.C. and they knew how to
fish with hooks, nets and spears. Four thousand years ago, laws were passed in China banning fishing during spawning, and the Phoenicians were well acquainted with using lights while fishing. The ancient Hebrews processed and salted fish. However, they did not eat scaleless fish such as eel, catfish, shark, catshark, stingray, etc. In ancient Greece, Aristotle listed 110 species of fish, of which 50 can be identified today. In the Middle Ages, fishing was in the hands of the privileged and the rich, fishing boats were built, Arthedi (1705-1735) classified fish into classes and orders, and Linne described 2,600 species of fish.

Keywords

fisheries; history

Hrčak ID:

259260

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/259260

Publication date:

14.3.2021.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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