For the inhabitants of Siberia, fishing was one of the main means of subsistence. At the early human sites researchers unearthed hooks, harpoons, sinkers, baits and fish skeletons from different eras. Such archaeological finds indicated that the local population fished a lot on the Angara River. In Siberia, the development of fishery coincided with the birth of the industry all throughout Eurasia.
A bait fish is a fish figurine made out of stone or bone that was used in fishing. Such figurines had been made for thousands of years from the late Mesolithic period (seven to eight thousand years ago) and up to the spread of metals (three thousand years ago). The fish was depicted schematically, with its eyes and mouth scratched into the upper part of the figurine. Sometimes there were versions of bait fish with a head in place of the tail. The fish bait was used at any time of the year, during ice fishing as well, which is evidenced by the tools that were found next to the fish figurines. Sometimes cloths were tied to the lower part of the fish torso, as they were supposed to resemble fins.
Researchers have noted that there were two types of sculptural images of fish: those that had religious purposes, and those that were used solely for fishing. The bait fish from the collection of the Regional Museum of Local History most likely belonged to the second category and was used on a daily basis. It was made during the Neolithic period, 7500-4600 years ago, and was considered the precursor of modern fishing lures.
Fish became part of the early human diet in the second half of the Late Paleolithic era, 12-40 thousand years ago. Since that time, many fishing tools appeared: nets, baskets and improved harpoon heads.
The earliest evidence that early humans began to eat fish were discovered in Siberia at an early human burial site in the village of Malta in the Irkutsk region. Malta was discovered in 1928. Archaeologists found 15 dwellings, which have preserved many household items. Among them were bones of large fish, as well as a bead necklace made about 20-25 thousand years ago out of taimen vertebrae.
A bait fish is a fish figurine made out of stone or bone that was used in fishing. Such figurines had been made for thousands of years from the late Mesolithic period (seven to eight thousand years ago) and up to the spread of metals (three thousand years ago). The fish was depicted schematically, with its eyes and mouth scratched into the upper part of the figurine. Sometimes there were versions of bait fish with a head in place of the tail. The fish bait was used at any time of the year, during ice fishing as well, which is evidenced by the tools that were found next to the fish figurines. Sometimes cloths were tied to the lower part of the fish torso, as they were supposed to resemble fins.
Researchers have noted that there were two types of sculptural images of fish: those that had religious purposes, and those that were used solely for fishing. The bait fish from the collection of the Regional Museum of Local History most likely belonged to the second category and was used on a daily basis. It was made during the Neolithic period, 7500-4600 years ago, and was considered the precursor of modern fishing lures.
Fish became part of the early human diet in the second half of the Late Paleolithic era, 12-40 thousand years ago. Since that time, many fishing tools appeared: nets, baskets and improved harpoon heads.
The earliest evidence that early humans began to eat fish were discovered in Siberia at an early human burial site in the village of Malta in the Irkutsk region. Malta was discovered in 1928. Archaeologists found 15 dwellings, which have preserved many household items. Among them were bones of large fish, as well as a bead necklace made about 20-25 thousand years ago out of taimen vertebrae.
