- Enclosed Harbor
The world's first enclosed harbor, or tidal dock, is believed to have been constructed thousands of years ago during the Harappan or Indus Valley Civilization. It is located at Lothal, in the present-day Mangroul harbor, on India's Gujarat coast, bordering the Indian Ocean.
The dock was discovered in 1955 and is believed to have been constructed around 2500 B.C.E. It was trapezoid in shape and its walls were constructed from burned brick. It measured 40 yards (37 m) from east to west and 24 yards (22 m) from north to south. Inlet channels allowed excess water to escape and prevented erosion of the banks. On its northern side the structure was connected with the estuary of the Sabarmati River, and lock gates on that side ensured that ships remained afloat in the dockyard.
The entrance to the dock was able to accommodate two ships at a time, and the dock had facilities for loading and unloading cargofrom the merchants' boats that constantly plied the harbor.Ships coming to and from the dock at Lothal probably travelled north as far as the Tigris and Euphrates River deltas. Sumerian goods transported to Lothar included cotton fabrics, beaded jewellery, and foodstuffs.
A major flood occurred in 2200 B.C.E., and by 1900 B.C.E. the dock at Lothal was buried in sand and silt. These natural events initiated a period of decline in the area that lasted hundreds of years. Excavations that began in the 1950s have provided archaeologists with evidence of the activities of this port town. While some researchers question the structures intended use, the experts are agreed that it is an excellent example of ancient maritime architecture.
SEE ALSO: CANAL, DAM, DUGOUT CANOE, ROWBOAT, SAIL, RUDDER, CANAL LOCK, CANAL INCLINED PLANE
- Fish hook
Fish Hook
The major problem with dating inventions earlier than the written word 1s that there are no first-hand accounts documenting the conception or use. Paleoarcheologists have the difficult task of piecing together the prehistory of man based on scraps of physical evidence left behind by Our ancient ancestors. The fishhook is one Such ingenious conception early man and is probably more important to the success of humans than most or Us would suspect.
The earliest examples of fishhooks so far found by archaeologists date from around 35,000 B.C.E Appearing well before the advent of metalworking, early fishhooks were fashioned from durable materials of organic origin such as bone, shells, animal horn, and wood. With the addition of a variety of baits on the hook, prehistoric man gained access, previously largely denied, to an easy source of energy loaded with protein and fat. Adding fish to his diet also ensured a healthy intake of essential fatty acids.
Over thousands of years the technology of fishhooks has evolved to optimize prey attraction, retention, and retrieval. The very earliest fishhooks of all are thought to have been made from wood, although, being more perishable than those of bone or shell, very few examples of these primitive hooks have survived. Wood might seem much too buoyant a material to be ideal for catching fish, but actually wooden hooks were used until the 1960s for catching species such as burbot.
Gaining easy access to adequate food supplies is thought to have been an essential factor in the success of early man. To fish in fecund waters requires very little energy and time, and this enabled our ancestors to pursue other activities, meaning that they were able, not Just to survive, but to prosper.
SEE ALSO: STONE TOOLS, SHARP STONE BLADE, TRAWLER FISHING, MODERN HARPOON