See the You Tube video

I know we haven’t found any Bronze Age eel or fish traps, but fish traps all work on the same principle, and this video is a beautifully clear demonstration of how they are made. The basketmaker Sue Kirk was asked to make a replica of one of the baskets found at Must Farm in Whittlesey, and in the video she talks about what she learnt about the original maker as she copied his or her work.

The archaeologists working at Must Farm found the remains of eighteen fish traps, a fish weir, and nine log boats, so it’s well worth also looking at their website here.

An even older fish trap has been found at Malmo in Sweden, dating from 7,500 years ago, you can see pictures here, and read about it if you know Swedish (which I don’t!). It is made of very fine willow woven with the roots of shore horsetail.