Fish Hook

[Ripcon]

I found this brass piece at a civil war encampment I was searching in west central Mississippi. It appears to be a fish hook fashioned from brass/copper.
What do you all think? The camp is very near streams and rivers that support large fish.

 

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[nhbenz]

How big is it? And, by any chance the pointy end doesn’t have a hole, like a curved needle for sewing up an incision?

 

[Duckshot]

Eyeless fish hooks can be attached with a nail knot.

 

[Ripcon]

Another picture of hook showing size

 

[Tedyoh]

Looks like a fence post staple to me....but brass?

 

[Ripcon]

Yes. Made of brass.

 

[Duckshot]

Yes. Made of brass.

Looks like a copper nail that got bent, copper nails were commonly used boat building. I seen brass nails used as escutcheon pins, but then it would have a round head and likely be smaller.

Did you find it near a river? Are you sure its brass?

 

[bonepicker]

Hard to say being that I am not familiar with civil war era fish hooks.
End is definitely pointy like it could have been designed to pierce skin. Or it could have been broken or cut by a plow, and just happened to end up that way.
The fish hook/surgical instrument theory is possible. Some fishing knots do not require an eye on a hook.
Tedyoh mentioned a brass staple. Copper staples were used on power poles for attaching the #2 groundwire.
Hard to tell if it was designed that way for a purpose, or if it was just a piece of wire or something that had been damaged and ended up looking like a fish hook.
Maybe someone more knowledgeable on the subject will reply.
Always enjoy seeing your finds Ripcon.

 

[Ripcon]

Great feedback. Thanks. This piece was found near a river and in a rural area where there has never been utility poles. But you never know. I guess that's what makes this hobby so interesting.

 

[d2]

I wonder if it could be a knap sack hook that was made into a fish hook?...d2

 

[Ripcon]

Possibly could've been a knapsack hook and then fashioned into a fish hook.

 

[sutphin]

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