A groundbreaking discovery at the Ice Age camp site of Gönnersdorf, located on the banks of the Rhine, has unveiled the earliest known depictions of fishing. Advanced imaging techniques have revealed intricate engravings of fish on ancient schist plaquettes, accompanied by grid-like patterns interpreted as representations of fishing nets or traps.

This research, led by the Monrepos Archaeological Research Center and Museum for Human Behavioral Evolution (a department of the Leibniz-Zentrum für Archäologie) in collaboration with Durham University, sheds light on Paleolithic fishing practices. The findings not only enhance our understanding of Ice Age diets but also suggest that fishing held symbolic and cultural significance during the Late Upper Paleolithic period, approximately 20,000 to 14,500 years ago. The study is published in the journal PLOS ONE.

Ice Age Art and Early Fishing Practices

The Gönnersdorf site is renowned for its rich artistic legacy, containing hundreds of flat schist plaquettes engraved with images of Ice Age animals such as wild horses, reindeer, mammoths, and woolly rhinos. These animals were critical to the survival of the Late Upper Paleolithic hunter-gatherers who occupied the site 15,800 years ago.

Additionally, the site features highly stylized engravings of human females, making it world-famous for its depictions of both symbolic and daily life. Now, this site has also provided the first known evidence of fishing methods used by early humans.

The collaborative research team utilized cutting-edge techniques, including Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI), to analyze these ancient artworks. By studying the engravings, researchers have identified individual artists’ styles and explored the role of visual perception in shaping artistic expression.

Engravings Offer New Insights Into Ice Age Life

Among the most surprising discoveries are detailed depictions of fish accompanied by grid-like patterns, interpreted as fishing nets or traps. While it was already known that fish formed part of Paleolithic diets, this discovery provides the first direct evidence of how they were caught.

These engravings constitute the earliest known depictions of net or trap fishing in European prehistory. They also highlight the sophisticated technologies and techniques employed by Ice Age societies, many of which leave little trace in the archaeological record.

Symbolic and Social Significance

The Gönnersdorf engravings suggest that fishing was more than just a means of survival; it was integrated into the symbolic and social fabric of these early hunter-gatherer communities. The artwork expands the repertoire of Ice Age art, showing that both practices and animals were important artistic themes.

Through the interdisciplinary approach combining archaeology and psychology, researchers also explored the concept of pareidolia—where natural shapes, such as the cracks and ridges on the plaquettes, may have influenced the placement and choice of engravings.

This research not only deepens our understanding of Ice Age life but also reminds us that the roots of technologies like fishing nets and traps may stretch further back in history than previously believed.