Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
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1035560 | Journal of Archaeological Science | 2013 | 6 Pages |
Prehistoric fishhooks have previously been described in northern Europe as being common since the Mesolithic. Here we present a Final Palaeolithic ivory fishhook from the site Wustermark 22 (north-eastern Germany), the raw material of which is about 19,000 years old. Five further fishhooks were discovered in situ at the same site one of which has a calibrated radiocarbon age of about 12,300 years. The tool industries of flint artefacts and bone/antler tools are associated with descendants of the Federmesser-culture and the palynological context indicates a Younger Dryas environment. Wustermark 22 represents the largest collection of Palaeolithic fishhooks so far found at a single European site. A comparison with other sites in Europe, containing Palaeolithic fishhooks suggests that the appearance and development of fishhooks may be associated with a general change in resource availability during the Greenland Interstadial 1 (Bølling/Allerød warming), which is also connected with a change from late Upper Palaeolithic to Final Palaeolithic industries in Northern Central Europe. We conclude that Mesolithic fishhook tradition has its roots in the Final Palaeolithic.
Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload high-quality image (226 K)Download as PowerPoint slideHighlights► Largest known collection of Palaeolithic fishhooks in Europe was discovered. ► An ivory fishhook with a raw material age of about 19,000 years. ► Mesolithic fishhook tradition has its roots in the Final Palaeolithic.