Net 1976.14.111
Octavius Seowtewa: It’s made out of the same thin cordage, the same material. Yea. You noticed it was very close to the Rio Grande. So they might have figured out a way to start using nets to gather fish. Did they figure out how long is this?
Fumi Arakawa: They said 1976 or before.
Octavius Seowtewa: I mean the length.
Fumi Arakawa: I do not know they did not say.
Octavius Seowtewa: It’s so fragile to take out.
Fumi Arakawa: Is it the same material?
Octavius Seowtewa: It is the same material. I think they might have started making the cordage to make the nets. But it’s so fine, and the cordage is so even they figured out how to combine the cordage to make it into like a strand of thread and then start making the net. That would probably be my only guess is because the Rio Grande is so close that they figured out how to make a net and start using it to fish the Rio Grande. Since we don’t have a water source close enough that they didn’t have any use for nets in Zuni. But here, they were close to a good water supply that probably had a lot of fish. So they figured out how to make a net and how to use the net to get what they needed to sustain themselves and their lives. I know it’s interesting and it’s good to know that they figured out how to make nets and use it to feed the families and make sure that they survived so we could still be here.
Fumi Arakawa: So just a different question. You saw the collection from Tularosa Cave.
Octavius Seowtewa: Right
Fumi Arakawa: Are those pretty similar assemblages or different?
Octavius Seowtewa: Of what we’ve seen so far is identical to what they had, except this one. Tularosa Cave does not have any nets. I explained the reason why, they don’t have a good stream or good water source there that big enough like the Rio Grande. But everything that we’ve seen so far is identical to what is in the Field Museum from Tularosa Cave. So this is very unique.