Page 135 - J. C. Turner - History and Science of Knots

124 History and Science of Knots

on which friction can become operative in the composing Double Overhand
Knots to yield a greater gripping effect. This feature is typically exploited in
the knotting of smooth material. In knotting modern monofilament synthet-
ics, structures based on Multiple Overhand Knots are quite common. The
underlying principle is one of which the Inuits would have needed to be aware
in knotting their slippery materials.
A negative aspect of the Multiple Overhand Knots would be the bulkier
result. It can be argued successfully that use of the Double Fisherman's Bend
would require too much of a precious material.
The reasons why the Inuits preferred the more elegant rawhide splices
for connecting two thongs must probably be sought in these facts. However,
as said, it is not possible to make a join reminiscent of a rawhide splice in
baleen. If it did, then the foregoing should effectuate an elimination of the
Double Fisherman's Bend from the ordinary Inuit's knot repertoire. In fact,
the opposite has happened, making the strongest argument in favour of them
being indigenous. The bulkiness can also be counteracted by giving the knots a
barrel shape. More wrapping turns form a cylinder to stabilize the knot. This
already occurs on the Triple Fisherman's Bend from 1700 Nuuk (See Fig. 5).
An artefact (Lb.23) from Disko Bay, donated to Denmark's National Museum
in 1854, also incorporates Fisherman's Bends based on Triple Overhand Knots.
Nowadays the symmetric barrel idea is also to be found in bends used by
anglers for the synthetic supersmooth monofilaments. In rupture tests these
bends often reach breaking strengths of close to 100%, i.e. they are about as
strong as the medium in which they are realised.

Fig. 11. Fisherman's Hitch and Strangle Hitch
In Europe the Double Overhand Knot structure was certainly known dur-
ing Carolingian times [33, fig. 47], which spanned the final quarter of the first
millennium of the Christian era. Mariners have thus probably known it from
their inception and have certainly employed it in numerous applications, for
instance in the Fisherman's Hitch or as the Strangle Hitch used by fishermen
to attach snoods to hooks. However, to my knowledge the first recording as
a bend was not until the 19th century when longline fishermen used the Dou-