05-05-2006, 07:48 PM
NEW YORK CITY, NY—Forbes.com readers, editors and a panel of experts have ranked the fish hook as the 19th most important invention of all time in terms of its impact on human civilization.
Although simple in nature and design, those who created the list say throughout modern human history, the fish hook has proven to be one of our most dependable tools.
The earliest fish hooks are thought to have been carved out of wood more than 30,000 years ago by Cro-Magnon man. Other cultures throughout history have used animal bone, horns, shells, steel and even the thorns of hawthorn bushes to fashion fish hooks.
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Although simple in nature and design, those who created the list say throughout modern human history, the fish hook has proven to be one of our most dependable tools.
The earliest fish hooks are thought to have been carved out of wood more than 30,000 years ago by Cro-Magnon man. Other cultures throughout history have used animal bone, horns, shells, steel and even the thorns of hawthorn bushes to fashion fish hooks.
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