Blurb:

The antiquity of deep-sea hunting in the northern hemisphere is evidenced by historical and ethnographic records. However, the chronological depth of such practices is still being discussed. To try and establish when marine hunting and fishing started, this paper examines the visual indicators of such practices in the prehistoric rock art of northern Europe, focusing on the deep-sea hunting of beluga whales, the fishing of halibut, and the use of harpoons, floats and lines-and-hooks. The examples presented suggest that North European prehistoric communities practised deep-sea hunting over 7,000 years ago, in Alta, Norway, and the White Sea region of Russia.