Fish Hook - History

History

Traditional bone fishing hook of the New Zealand Māori

The fish hook or similar device has probably been made by man for many thousands of years. Some of the earliest recorded fish hooks are from Palestine about 7000 BC. In 2011, archaeologists in the Jerimalai cave in East Timor discovered the world's oldest fish hook, a shell hook between 16,000 and 23,000 years old. An early written reference to a fish hook is found with reference to the Leviathan in the Book of Job 41:1 (about 2000 BC); Canst thou draw out leviathan with a hook? Fish hooks have been crafted from all sorts of materials including wood, animal and human bone, horn, shells, stone, bronze, iron up to present day materials. In many cases, hooks were created from multiple materials to leverage the strength and positive characteristics of each material. Norwegians as late as the 1950s still used juniper wood to craft Burbot hooks. Quality steel hooks began to make their appearance in Europe in the 17th century and hook making became a task for specialists.

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