Desert Secret Cracked: Ancient Hunting Techniques Revealed

Arutz Sheva ^ | 3-3-09 | Baruch Gordon

[SJackson]

Desert Secret Cracked: Ancient Hunting Techniques Revealed

Adar 6, 5769, 02 March 09 11:12

by Baruch Gordon

(IsraelNN.com) How did humans living in the third millennium BCE manage to find sufficient quantities of meat in the arid desert regions? A new study of the "desert kites" that are spread across the expanses of Israel's Negev and Arava desert region, carried out by researchers from the University of Haifa, unearths the answer to this riddle.

Already in the early 20th century, British pilots flying over the Middle Eastern deserts identified strange forms spreading over hundreds of meters, sometimes even over a few kilometers. The shapes looked like two long walls that meet at angles and at the meeting point of each wall was a round-shaped trench.

A desert "kite" hunting trap in Israel
Israel news photos: University of Haifa

To the pilots, the shapes resembled kites, hence the name given to them: "desert kites." A few such "kites" are known of in the deserts of Jordan, Syria, Israel, and Sinai. Archaeologists have suggested a number of theories as to the uses of these constructs, most supposing that they were used for hunting purposes, others suggesting that they served as cattle pens.%ad%

A few weeks ago, an interdisciplinary research group, funded by National Geographic, completed an encompassing survey of all eleven "kites" of the Negev and Arava, which included archaeological digs in four "kites", detailed documentation by means of state-of-the-art measuring instruments, aerial and ground photography, and dating by means of two independent radiometric methods.

The study's findings have clearly shown that these "kites" were used as mass hunting apparatus, dating back no later than the third millennium BCE. "When standing in one of these kites, it is astounding to see how it fits into the landscape and how the wild animals' migration routes would converge into the hidden kite," stated Dr. Bar-Oz. "Only then can one grasp how much energy and strategic understanding were invested in its construction."

The kites' branches can reach over 200 meters in length. At the base of each kite, the branches converge and end in a chasm or large trench. On some of the kites, an elevated stage was erected, probably in order to heighten the leaping wall and perhaps to hide the trench that was dug beneath it.

According to the researchers, the hunting method involved directing the indigenous wild animals alongside the walled branches of the kite toward its tip and its trench, where hunters awaited them.

The height of the walls which sometimes reached over one meter, and their thickness testify that the apparatus were intended for hunting not only gentle animals, such as deer, but also larger hoofed animals like wild ass and rams.

The extensive study, which examined all eleven traps scattered from Givat Barnea in the north of the desert region to Eilat in the south, also exposed the thinking processes that were invested in planning each trap. "The traps were placed in locations where animal migration routes were concentrated into bottlenecks. There is no doubt that this reflects that the prehistoric inhabitants of the desert had a lot of knowledge: they knew the cattle migration routes very well and knew where to place each of the traps most efficiently," Dr. Nadel noted.

"We were not taken by surprise by the technological ability; humans in that period were very similar to us in their capabilities… We are definitely talking about wide-scope construction in a region that is challenging for survival."

The research was headed by a University of Haifa team: zooarchaeologist Dr. Guy Bar-Oz, archaeologist Dr. Daniel Nadel, and landscape ecologist Dr. Dan Malkinson. Also participating in the project were researchers from the Arava Institute, the Geological Institute in Jerusalem, the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot, and Bar-Ilan University.

[Ditter]

I have read accounts about the American Indians. When a camping area got to be just too nasty, they moved off to a clean spot. Makes sense to me, I either clean this house or we have to move out of it.

[PapaBear3625]

Nomadic people have to move and follow the game. They don't have time to stay in one spot and construct enormous stone walls in order to funnel the quarry to a killing spot.

The key to success in hunting is not in being able to follow game, but in being able to predict where game will be at some point in the future and already be waiting there.

These traps were in the path of animals' yearly migrations. So it would have been worthwhile to build it and keep adding to it year after year.

[Wpin]

Even Nomadic peoples had to have a way to kill their game. They desired to do so as safely and efficiently as possible. These “kites” are along the normal routes herds of these animals would take. The nomadic people follow the herds, year after year along the same routes. Picture they ran them into the chasm’s without the walls initially, getting a few animals because most would run away to the sides. Then someone comes up with the idea of funneling them, they would have started nearer the chasm and probably over some time work their way out. Perhaps over decades in time. So, a few hundred yards of walls only little more than three feet high, sure it is believable.

[arealconservativeforachange]

I think the modern kite is referred to as the local bar on Friday night ;)

[Osage Orange]

Heck many whitetail, mulie, elk, blacktail, and pronghorn hunters look for "funnels" to hunt nowadays.

I know I do....

[TXnMA]

ping

[Travis T. OJustice]

Beaver traps! :)

[ican'tbelieveit]

We found one of these years ago when I was growing up... in NM.

[CholeraJoe]

Ping to SunkenCiv.

Similar hunting techniques used simultaneously in the Old World and the New? My, my. Makes that common origin more likely doesn’t it?

[jacob allen]

Like what Odumbo is going to do the people of America!

[Betis70]

Basin and Range groups (Utah, Nevada, generally) did this too with jackrabbits.

[Joya]

Thanks.

Ping.

[Beagle8U]

This method of funneling animals into a narrow passage was also used by the native peoples in the great-lakes region.

Trees were felled in a line, one on top of the next in large “V's”.

Starting at the narrow end and working out in in a large V, often over a mile for each leg.

They would then form drives to push deer and elk into the funnel. The hunters would set in the branches of the downed trees in the narrow ends of the funnel and kill the animals at close range. Snares were also set inside the funnel.

Many such funnels were maintained, with new trees and brush added every year.

[Bernard Marx]

Like rabbit drives around the turn of the century in the western US

Rabbits are terribly destructive to crops and I recall rabbit drives well into the 1960s in the part of Idaho where I grew up. I don't know what rabbit elimination methods are used these days, if any.

[VeniVidiVici]

Look familar? (thanks to Candor7)

[zot]

Thanks for the ping. The concept is very much like putting a fish-trap in a stream.

[SunkenCiv]

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[wolfcreek]

Those heads were *previously* SMASHED-IN.

What we hunters might call *EASY PREY*

[Recon Dad]

I'm looking for some help. I'd like to sent one of these kites up just outside Washington DC and......

[gallaxyglue]

Nomadic people know the migratory patterns of animals. They prepare to hunt when they know the animals are going to “pass through.” They also are gatherers and spend time looking for wild grains.