Lead net-sinkers as an indicator of fishing activities

Abstract

Lead fishing-net sinkers in the shape of a small tube, ring, or folded piece of lead sheeting are often identified as scrap metal and/or treated only cursorily in many archaeological reports from Rome’s NW provinces.1 Very few have been illustrated, and measurements and weights are rarely noted. This has led to an under-representation of these finds in the archaeological record. By correctly identifying these lead artefacts and providing the necessary context information, archaeologists can facilitate insights into the various fishing techniques of antiquity and the places where they were practised. This will add information on the local and regional ecology and economy, as well as on dietary habits. Moreover, because the extensive use of lead in the NW provinces began only in the Roman period, finds of lead net-sinkers from well-documented contexts can be used to date indigenous settlements into the Roman period even if they otherwise yield few Roman artefacts. These facts motivated our article, which is therefore not an overview but rather a starting point for research on this artefact type in the NW provinces. We will also raise some questions for future research.