Prehistoric Fishing Site Found in Southeast Iran

MAKRAN COAST, IRAN—Irani News reports that archaeologists conducting salvage excavations at the Kopal site in southeast Iran have uncovered abundant evidence of prehistoric fishing activities. The investigations occurred along the Makran coast near the Sea of Oman, a region that throughout Iran’s history served as a maritime corridor linking the Middle East, South Asia, and East Africa. The unprecedented discoveries include Paleolithic stone tools, fishing hooks, net weights, fish bones, shells, and pottery dating back to the fourth millennium b.c. According to Morteza Hessari, the leader of the excavation team, the new findings are crucial for understanding prehistoric humans' interaction with the aquatic environment. “Laboratory studies of these marine remains could provide valuable insights into the aquatic species utilized by the inhabitants of this area during the late prehistoric period,” he said. To read about prehistoric structures found in the mountains of southeast Iran, go to "Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow."