Archaeologists Reveal Secrets of 15,800-Year-Old Ice Age Artifacts

Researchers have revealed remarkable 15,800-year-old engravings on a set of prehistoric artifacts from the last ice age. The engravings, described in a study published in the online journal PLOS ONE, appear on stone "plaquettes" found at the ice age campsite of Gönnersdorf, which is on the banks of Germany's Rhine River. The term plaquette refers to a piece of stone, bone, ivory or antler that has a flat surface engraved or carved with artwork, often associated with European cultures of the Upper Paleolithic period. The newly revealed engravings on the Gönnersdorf plaquettes depict fish as well as grid-like patterns that the study's authors interpret as illustrations of fishing nets or traps. According to the interdisciplinary research team, which involved experts from the U.K.'s Durham University and the Leibniz Center for Archaeology in Germany, the Gönnersdorf engravings represent the earliest known depictions of net or trap fishing in European prehistory—and possibly even on a global scale. "This study provides the first unambiguous visual evidence of fishing nets in European prehistory, based on the engraved motifs of fish within grid-like patterns," study lead author Jérôme Robitaille, of the MONREPOS Archaeological Research Centre and Museum for Human Behavioral Evolution in Germany, told Newsweek.

The latest findings cast new light on fishing practices during the Upper Paleolithic, a period that dates from 50,000 to 40,000 years ago to roughly 10,000 years ago. The study reveals nuanced depictions of fishing with nets that were previously unrecorded for the Upper Paleolithic. The study acknowledges earlier, indirect indications of fishing nets from Upper Paleolithic contexts, although these were typically inferred from impressions of textiles or hypothetical reconstructions rather than clear imagery. The Gönnersdorf plaquettes, on the other hand, explicitly depict fish alongside grid-like patterns resembling nets, made visible through an advanced imaging technology known as reflectance transformation imaging (RTI). "Earlier findings provide both direct (bones indicating fishing and consumption) and indirect insights into fishing practices through artifacts like barbed points and fishhooks, suggesting techniques such as spearfishing and angling, though these were inferred from tools rather than visual depictions. Fishing likely contributed to subsistence across Paleolithic societies, yet direct artistic portrayals of fishing are exceptionally rare," Robitaille said. In the new study, the researchers employed RTI to investigate a collection of more than 400 plaquettes found at the Gönnersdorf site, which were produced by the late Upper Paleolithic people who occupied the camp. While these plaquettes have been extensively studied in the past, the advanced imaging technology technique enabled the researchers to uncover never-before-seen details in some of the artifacts. "RTI's capability to manipulate light and shadow in a digital environment allowed us to accentuate subtle details on the engraved surfaces, revealing aspects that traditional observation methods might overlook," the study's authors wrote in the paper. "Traditional methods, such as direct visual inspection under static lighting conditions or simple photographic documentation, often fail to capture the full depth and intricacy of engravings." The authors added: "The 'Specular Enhancement' mode in particular allowed us to identify engraved lines that cannot otherwise be seen under normal lighting conditions." These investigations identified several depictions of fish, which in eight cases were found to be deliberately embedded within grid-like patterns consisting of multiple lines. These intricate scenes are thought to represent fish caught in nets or traps, the study reports.

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The use of RTI technology played a "critical" role in identifying the previously unnoticed fish-and-grid engravings, the authors said. "This level of clarity and direct depiction of net fishing had not been recorded before in Upper Paleolithic art, setting Gönnersdorf apart from prior sites," Robitaille told Newsweek. The latest findings provide a glimpse into the lives of the late Upper Paleolithic occupiers of the camp—who belong to the Magdalenian cultural phase (dated to around 17,000 to 12,000 years ago)—suggesting that fishing may have held symbolic significance to them. The depiction of fish within nets on eight engraved plaquettes—in combination with the presence of fish remains at Gönnersdorf, as well as indications of textile manufacture and use at the site—provides the first "unambiguous evidence" for net fishing in a Magdalenian context, according to the study. "The study suggests that fishing played a more vital role in Magdalenian society than previously thought, both as a subsistence strategy and as a cultural activity embedded within symbolic frameworks," Robitaille said. "The minimalist representation of fish within grid patterns points to a deliberate artistic focus on the act of fishing rather than the fish itself, indicating a nuanced understanding and artistic expression of fishing as a structured, social and possibly seasonal activity." "The implications of this discovery are substantial, as it expands the knowledge of subsistence strategies in the Upper Paleolithic, highlighting the adaptability and technological sophistication of Magdalenian communities. This research also contributes to the broader discourse on human interactions with aquatic environments, showing how prehistoric art not only served aesthetic purposes but also communicated essential aspects of daily life and survival, enriching our understanding of early human cultural and symbolic systems." In the study, the researchers discuss other fishing techniques previously inferred from artifacts and archaeological finds, including harpoons and barbed points, bow and arrow fishing in still waters, fishhooks for angling and possible traps. "While these techniques were previously 'known' or interpreted, the Gönnersdorf engravings provide a unique and explicit visual portrayal of net fishing, distinguishing it from other inferred methods and adding a rare, detailed insight into Magdalenian fishing practices and their symbolic expression," Robitaille said. Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about archaeology? Let us know via science@newsweek.com. Update 11/14/24, 9:09 a.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from Jérôme Robitaille.

Reference

Robitaille, J., Meyering, L., Gaudzinski-Windheuser, S., Pettitt, P., Jöris, O., & Kentridge, R. (2024). Upper Palaeolithic fishing techniques: Insights from the engraved plaquettes of the Magdalenian site of Gönnersdorf, Germany. PLOS ONE, 19(11), e0311302. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0311302