Ancient Roman Bronze Fishing hook - 27 mm (No reserve price)

"Roman Bronze Fishing Hook with Barbed Point
Culture / Period: Roman Imperial Period
Date / Period: Circa 1st–4th century AD (attributed)
Material: Bronze / Copper Alloy
Dimensions: 27 mm
Condition: Good condition.

No shipping outside the European Union. Due to complex export regulations concerning cultural goods, this item cannot be shipped outside the EU. Please ensure you have a delivery address within the European Union before placing a bid.

Provenance information:
Object Registration ID: 1026
According to the previous owner, the object had previously been in a private collection in the Netherlands. The date on which it entered this collection is unknown.
The previous owner, B.N. from Schiedam (the Netherlands), stated that the object had been in his collection, although the date of acquisition was not provided.
The current owner (S.N.J. S.) purchased the Roman bronze fishing hook from B.N. in Schiedam, the Netherlands.
No further information concerning the earlier ownership history of the object was available from the previous owner.

Background Information:
Fishing played an important role in the economy and everyday life of the Roman world, providing a valuable source of food for both coastal and inland communities. Bronze fishing hooks were practical implements used by fishermen working along rivers, lakes, harbours and coastal waters throughout the Roman Empire.

This example features a curved body with a pointed, barbed end designed to retain a fish once caught. The straight shank would have allowed the hook to be secured to a fishing line. Such hooks were used in individual line fishing, a technique practised by professional fishermen as well as individuals fishing for household consumption.

Roman fishing equipment reflects an established tradition of metalworking and practical craftsmanship. Hooks were manufactured in different sizes and forms depending on the intended fishing methods and target species. Copper-alloy examples were valued for their resistance to corrosion and their suitability for shaping into functional fishing implements.

Fishing hooks are known from archaeological contexts across the Roman Empire, including the Mediterranean provinces and the northwestern frontier regions of present-day Germany, France and the Netherlands. Their widespread distribution illustrates the importance of fishing within Roman food production and local economies.

Although the precise date and geographical origin of this example cannot be established without an archaeological find context, its form is consistent with traditional fishing-hook designs known from the Roman period.