The harpoon is a weapon for hunting aquatic animals.
A harpoon is an element made up of a wooden stick and an iron tip at one end. Of prehistoric origin, harpoons are used for fishing or hunting .
Manual or automatic
Usually, the person takes the harpoon by the shaft and throws it towards the prey with force, so that the tip penetrates it. In this way the harpoon injures or kills the animal in question.
Beyond manual launching , there are other systems that allow the harpoon to be propelled. Currently it is possible to use hydraulic or compressed air mechanisms so that the harpoon is fired at high speed.
According to Spanish laws , for example, underwater fishing can only be carried out using manual harpoons or those propelled by some mechanical means, with one or more points. It is not allowed to use instruments to capture the animals. Even though limits are imposed on hunting, the goal of animal defenders is to leave it behind completely and replace it with agriculture, to adopt a completely vegetarian diet.
History
The first harpoons were made by prehistoric humans from bones . With these harpoons he could capture fish and thus obtain a source of food. It is interesting to note that harpoon fishing can be carried out from the shore, from a boat or even underwater.
We must understand that these models date back more than thirteen thousand years. Although researchers do not doubt the use of this weapon to hunt aquatic animals such as fish, some believe that it is also possible that they were able to kill hippos with ancient harpoons , which tells us about their resistance. In East Africa, thanks to a research project we can find a large collection of bone harpoons belonging to prehistory, which allows us to appreciate their evolution, as well as estimate the cultural changes that were associated with the improvements of this instrument.
The number of harpoons collected in this archaeological project exceeds five hundred, and these are findings that come from more than twenty different sites . Not only do they allow us to study the activities of the first modern humans of East Africa, but they also give us a look at the modifications they made to the harpoon over the years, both in its functionality and style.
The characteristics of harpoons changed over time . In the 19th century , the Norwegian Svend Foyn devised a harpoon with an explosive head intended for whaling. When the harpoon hit the whale, the head of the device exploded, causing a fatal wound to the affected specimen.
There are hydraulic systems that mechanize the launch of the harpoon.
Inuit
The different peoples found in the arctic regions of the North American continent are known by the name Inuit . Note that the meaning of this term in their own language is simply "the people", and can be used in the singular ( inuk ) to refer to a single person. Although in the past people spoke of Eskimos , today this word is considered racist and derogatory, so to refer to these peoples in an official and respectful way we must call them Inuit .
The Inuit obtain food, fuel and clothing by harpoon hunting marine mammals, especially seals. With a rope attached to the harpoon, they can hurt the animal and prevent it from submerging. After luring it to himself, the hunter kills it with a knife . One of the most notable characteristics of the harpoon used by these people is that it has a rotating tip.