Institut français
d’archéologie orientale du Caire

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BIFAO101_art_12.pdf (3.74 Mb)
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Bulletin de l’Institut français d’archéologie orientale 101
2001 IFAO
12 p.
gratuit - free of charge
Du disque de Hemaka au filet hexagonal du lac Manzala. Un exemple de pérennité des techniques de chasse antiques.

The disc of Hemaka (Cairo Museum) is, to the best of my knowledge, the first representation of the hexagonal net. Inside the net two wading birds (storks, cranes or egrets) are depicted; in any case, they are waders.

My study on the present-day hunting techniques on the Manzala Lake showed that there are two types of hexagonal nets: one with a bottom and another without. The first is used in the hunting of waterbirds and divers (ducks, coots, etc.). The nets are stretched out in shallow water, and the bottom prevents the birds from escaping by diving under the net which, once closed, forms a prismatic bag.

In the case of crane and gull hunting, the nets could also be stretched out on the ground.

The second type of net, without bottom, is used for the hunting of waders walking in shallow water or on sludge, such as Ġamingos. It is conceived in such a way that the birds do not catch their feet in the stitches.

I have presented here numerous technical details, as well as comments on the importance of these observations for the knowledge of ancient hunting techniques.