An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c11.s6: 6.6 Fish-hooks
An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c11.s6
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6.6 Fish-hooks
v1.c11.s6.1
The Harappa [4.9] and the Chalcolithic cultures of c. India and the Deccan [4.14.5, 6] have yielded a variety of metallic fish-hooks to the virtual exclusion of harpoons, the latter being a common artefact in the Neolithic culture of Kashmir [4.6.1] and in the Copper Hoard culture [4.11]. Both barbed and unbarbed types come from Mohenjo-daro and Chanhu-daro. In fact, the ones from Mohenjo-daro are the earliest known examples of the barbed type. On the other hand, Harappa, LOTHAL and BANAWALI have yielded the unbarbed type, which had its continuity at the later Chalcolithic sites like CHANDOLI and NAVDATOLI. One of the five specimens from NAVDATOLI seems to have an eye, now damaged, for threading: all other examples from these two sites have thinned-out ends, with a slightly curved shank.
v1.c11.s6.2
Copper was replaced by iron in the Megalithic [4.17] and the early historical cultures, but the unbarbed fishhook with tapering shank and slightly curved threading end continued to be the favourite type. The Megalithic sites which have yielded fish-hooks are TAKALGHAT, JUNAPANI, KHAPA, SANUR and GANGAPUR. Of the early historical sites, the finds from ORIUP, TER, SISUPALGARH, NEVASA, SOMNATH and NAGARJUNAKONDA are noteworthy. The use of fish-hook does not seem to have been popular in later historical times despite its early beginning, perhaps because of the widespread use of other fishing contrivances like different kinds of nets and traps.
v1.c11.s6.3
Hora, S L., 1954-5, in *AI*, 10-11, pp 152-6. Mackay, E.J.H., 1938, *Further Excavations at Mohenjo-daro*, Delhi, 1, pp. 471-2; 1943, *Chanhu-daro Excavations 1935-6*, New Haven, p. 184. Sarkar, H., 1953, in *Jour. Asiatic Soc., Science*, 19, pp. 133-9. Vats, M.S., 1940, *Excavations at Harappa*, Delhi, 1, p. 391. For sites see respective entries in vol. II.—A. BANERJI