Background and Context
In medieval northwestern Europe, fish were an abundant resource that played a critical part in local subsistence as a supplemental protein and, toward the end of the period, were an increasingly important component of commercial economies (Hoffman, 2000). Among the period’s species of most socio-economic importance, cod (Gadus morhua), hake (Merluccius merluccius), and herring (Clupea harengus) are the best-represented specimens in the medieval zooarchaeological records of coastal England, Ireland, and Norway (Barrett, 2016). This study proposes to focus on the former two species and the technology commonly associated with their capture: hand lines. Hand-line fishing was employed both inland and at sea (Hoffman, 2000); this study centers around the use of this technology by non-specialist pelagic fishermen for subsistence purposes.
Archaeological evidence for the various elements of fishing tackle (such as weights and hooks) associated with hand-line fishing is abundant along the North Sea coast of England (Steane & Foreman, 1991), our study area. However, due to the poor preservation of the organic materials from which it was made and difficulties identifying whatever fragments remain, no definitively identified fishing line has been recovered from northwestern European archaeological contexts dating to the medieval period (Steane & Foreman, 1991; Hoffman, 2000). Given that no material from this tool has been available for relative or absolute dating, the temporality of its use is not well known. Thus, our study encompasses the entire medieval period in England, from the 11th to late 15th centuries. The absence of medieval fishing line in the archaeological record provides the impetus for our experimental study, which aims to test the tensile strength of this archaeologically invisible tool and to compare the various materials of manufacture discussed in the literature.
Research Questions
With the context that we have gained through a review of the available literature, we aim to answer the following research questions:
- How does the tensile strength of hemp, linen, and horsehair fishing line compare?
- How might the tensile strength of fishing line materials impact species-specific selection?
Materials
According to Hoffman (2000) and Steane and Foreman (1991), the most likely materials used in the construction of fishing line were hemp, linen (or bast), and the braided hair of horsetails. The anonymously authored A Treatyse of Fysshynge wyth an Angle offers insight into methods of manufacture for fishing line (Watkins, 1880).
The horsehair sourced for this experiment was taken from a white Andalusian mare, a horse breed from the Iberian Peninsula that was prevalent—often prized as cavalry or noble horses—throughout Europe in the medieval period. The Andalusian or Purebred Spanish Horse was recognized as a distinct breed as early as the 15th century and is known for its silky and strong white tail hair, making it ideal for use in fishing lines. A Treatyse of Fysshynge wyth an Angle states that horsehair used for fishing line was usually white and would be dyed one of several colours (Watkins, 1880).
The linen was purchased at Beehive Wool Shop in Victoria, British Columbia, for around ten dollars for a yarn. We anticipate that this amount will likely be sufficient, though the exact amount of linen, hemp, and horsehair needed will be determined once we proceed further with the experiment. We have yet to source the hemp as none of the knitting stores we visited so far had any 100% pure hemp. Only blends were available. However, hemp is widely available and inexpensive online.
Methodology
This experimental archaeological analysis compares the tensile strength of three types of medieval fishing line: horsehair, linen, and hemp. Multiples of each type of fishing line will be produced, then subjected to a series of tests to measure their tensile strength (breaking point) and maximum rated weight. In modern-day fishing lines, each line’s strength is rated through a “pound test” (Danny, 2020). A pound test marks the maximum weight of an object that can be picked up by the line without snapping, which is slightly different from its tensile strength. For example, a 10 lb rated line could pick up a 10 lb object but snap at 11 lbs. Since we are looking at hand-fishing specifically, our medieval lines will not benefit from a fishing rod that can take some of the load off the fishing line (Danny, 2020). This means that the pound rating of our fishing lines will be more directly correlated with the weight of the fish that they can catch without snapping. With this in mind, we will also conduct pound tests with our fishing lines to see how they compare to modern-day lines, and gather data that can be compared to the average weights of medieval-era cod and hake.
We will also measure the tensile strength of our fishing lines. The tests will be conducted using a standard consumer luggage scale to measure that point at which each fishing line breaks (in pounds). Consumer luggage scales are accurate enough for our uses, since only linear forces are measured, not lateral forces (Diller, 2016). Each fishing line will be tested when completely saturated and half saturated with salt water, which simulates conditions when fishing. Under those conditions, they will each be tested for their breaking point when an increasing load is applied and sporadically jerked, simulating a fish pulling on the line once it is hooked. This test was added to better simulate the additional forces exerted by a fish of a certain weight when it is pulling on the line.
To secure the fishing line for testing, we will be tying them to carabiners on each end using a fisherman’s knot followed by two square knots to prevent slipping, an insight provided to us by another student project that measured the tensile strength of modern-day fishing line (Samuel Culham, 2023).
Barrett provides us with info on fish size and weights for the species we focus on during the medieval era, so we can rule out certain types of fishing line as being particularly useful in certain areas during the Middle Ages (2016). For example, if a line breaks under substantially lower forces than those exerted by our species in question, then it is unlikely that it would be the most effective line in certain areas at the time. This is not to say that whichever line can bear the most load is, therefore, the “best” and must have been the most widely-used, as many factors, especially local availability and attainability of materials, would have played a significant role in material selection.
Annotated Bibliography
Found here