Upper Palaeolithic fishing techniques: Insights from the engraved plaquettes of the Magdalenian site of Gönnersdorf, Germany

Robitaille, Jérôme; Meyering, Lisa-Elen; Gaudzinski-Windheuser, Sabine; Pettitt, Paul; Jöris, Olaf; Kentridge, Robert

Abstract

The ~15,800 year-old Magdalenian site of Gönnersdorf, in Germany, has produced 406 engraved schist plaquettes which have been extensively studied in the past. The introduction of advanced imaging technologies, notably Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI), has now precipitated a re-evaluation of these artifacts, uncovering nuanced depictions of fishing practices previously unrecorded for the Upper Palaeolithic. Our investigation harnesses RTI to elucidate fine engraving details on the plaquettes, revealing depictions of fish and accompanying grid motifs. The analytical process enabled by RTI has exposed an intricate link between the grid patterns and fish figures, showing that they were a deliberate combination portraying the use of fishing nets. This discovery posits a significant departure from earlier interpretations of the site’s iconography, which predominantly emphasized more naturalistic representations of fauna. Furthermore, these findings illuminate aspects of Magdalenian cultural praxis, suggesting that representations of aquatic life and fishing technologies were not merely utilitarian in nature but were embedded within a broader symbolic framework. This study enhances our comprehension of Magdalenian peoples’ interaction with the aqueous milieu, revealing a sophisticated symbiosis between ecological adaptation and artistic expression.

Citation

Robitaille, J., Meyering, L.-E., 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), Article e0311302. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0311302

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Sep 17, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Nov 6, 2024
• Publication Date: Nov 6, 2024
• Deposit Date: Oct 14, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 11, 2024
• Journal: PLOS ONE
• Electronic ISSN: 1932-6203
• Publisher: Public Library of Science
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 19
• Issue: 11
• Article Number: e0311302
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0311302
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2957025