Resolving the Mystery of the 2000-Year-Old Net Found in the “Cave of Letters”

Reuven Yosef, Lee Perry-Gal, Naama Sukenik

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

Abstract

Since ancient times, humans have used nets for a variety of purposes, including catching prey. Here we consider the likely uses of a large net unearthed by Yadin (1963) in the Cave of Letters in Nahal Hever, in the Judean Desert. Like all finds in the cave, the net dates from the time of the Bar Kokhba Revolt (132–135/6 CE). It was brought into the cave towards the end of the revolt by Jewish rebels, who apparently fled from the Ein Gedi area. At the time, Yadin opposed the use of the net for fishing suggesting that it was used either for fowling (i.e., catching of waterfowl) or that of a gladiator. In this article, after a thorough and in-depth study of all the possible uses of the net, we propose that it is a bird net. We study the function of the net from different angles including archaeology, anthropology, ornithology, and archaeozoology to elucidate the true function of the net. In addition, we suspect that the net was used to trap indigenous avian, desert species (Rock Pigeon Columba livia, Chukar partridge Alectoris chukar, Sand Partridge Ammeperdix heyi) or migrants (Quail Coturnix coturnix, Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur). Based on the features of the net and the zooarchaeological findings from the Judean Desert, we suspect that this appears to be a walk-in trap for avian species that prefer to walk on the ground while foraging or fleeing potential predators. It may also have been used to capture Rock Pigeons, which also nest in the caves where the rebels took refuge.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationInterdisciplinary Contributions to Archaeology
PublisherSpringer Nature
Pages171-185
Number of pages15
DOIs
StatePublished - 2024

Publication series

NameInterdisciplinary Contributions to Archaeology
VolumePart F3667
ISSN (Print)1568-2722

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024.

Keywords

  • Bird
  • Flowing
  • Net
  • Roman period

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Archaeology
  • Archaeology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Resolving the Mystery of the 2000-Year-Old Net Found in the “Cave of Letters”'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this