Fishing net defies time, resurfaces 2,000 years later in Tsawwassen

By Radha Agarwal, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Delta Optimist A rare 2,000-year-old fishing net unearthed in Tsawwassen is undergoing conservation at the First Nation’s repository, providing a window into the coastal life that flourished in the region millennia ago. “It really highlights the deep cultural importance of fishing for our people. It’s a privilege to be able to care for and hold a piece of our ancestors’ history and perpetuity,” said Tia Williams, Archaeology Coordinator at the Tsawwassen First Nation (TFN). The department used radiocarbon dating to determine the age of the net. It has also undergone multiple tests and is currently undergoing cellulose analysis after researchers confirmed that it is made from bark fibres, but not cedar. Some professionals, weavers, and elders suggest the material could be stinging nettle…

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