Fish and Fishing in the Southern and Western Regions of Ancient Anatolia

Abstract

Modern studies on fish and fishing in antiquity usually concentrate on the northern Black Sea and western Mediterranean regions, where archaeological evidence regarding the fishing industry is more abundant. On the other hand, archaeo-zoological studies, which have increased in recent years, provide us with important data on fish consumption and fishing-related trade and industry in eastern Mediterranean societies from the Prehistoric through the Byzantine Periods. These further show that fish were not a luxury item but rather part of the daily diet. This article evaluates the role of fish and fishing in the social and economic lives of people who lived in the regions of southern and western Anatolia Ionia, Karia, Lykia, Pamphylia, Pisidia and Kilikia . It utilizes evidence from ancient literary sources as well as modern studies that supply archaeological, archaeo-zoological, epigraphic and iconographic data. It is understood that fishing in the lakes and rivers not only provided the diet for people, but also contributed to the local economy of the societies living inland. Thus fish from the sea and from freshwater lakes were sold side by side in the local markets of settlements near the seaside. Unlike open-sea fishing, fishing in inland waters was usually subject to special regulation. Problems even arose over the right to fish in certain lakes and rivers in Asia Minor. The cities wanted to exploit these fish sales, so taxes were levied on the arrival and marketing of fish. Since fish is a product with a short shelf life, various methods were utilized for its long-term preservation since very early times. Thus salted, dried fish could be transported long distances. Fish processing became an important industry during the Roman Imperial period, particularly the fish sauce called garum that took third place in amphora transportation after olive oil and wine. This industry expanded extensively in the western Mediterranean. Archaeological evidence for the fishing industry has also been attested in a large scale along the southern coastline of Anatolia beginning in the 3rd century A.D.

Eskiçağ’da Anadolu’nun Güney ve Batısında Yer Alan Bölgelerde Balık ve Balıkçılık

Abstract

İnsanların beslenmelerini avcılık ve toplayıcılıkla sürdürdükleri Paleolitik Çağ’dan beri balık vazgeçilmez bir besin ve geçim kaynağı olmuştur. Antik Yunan ve Roma İmparatorluğu dönemine ait yazılı kaynaklar, balık türleri, balıkçılık, balık tüketimi ve işlenmiş balık ürünleri ile bunların ticareti hakkında çeşitli bilgiler içermektedirler1. Eskiçağ’da bilinen balık türleri ve balıktan elde edilen ürünlerin ticareti hakkındaki ilk bilimsel çalışmaların temelini bu kaynakların oluşturduğu görülür. Öte yandan Eskiçağ’da balığın beslenmede önemli bir yer tutmadığı ve balıkçılığın çoğunlukla bir ailenin geçimini sağlamaya yönelik küçük çaplı ya da yarı zamanlı bireysel bir uğraş olması sebebiyle ekonomide dikkate değer bir etkisinin bulunmadığı yönünde genel bir kanı mevcuttur. Balığın Eskiçağ toplumlarının beslenmesindeki yerini belirlemek amacıyla arkeolojik kazılarda açığa çıkarılan balık kalıntıları üzerinde yapılan analiz çalışmalarının sonuçları da bu görüşü tamamen ortadan kaldıracak verileri ortaya koyamamaktadır.

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