Page 40 - J. C. Turner - History and Science of Knots

Why Knot? Some Speculations on the Earliest Knots 27
Stopper Knots, Bends and Loops

A third group of simple knots, almost certainly amongst the first knots tied,
was based on the Overhand Knot (25) (#515). This knot (see Fig. 5) is
sometimes formed naturally in vines and the like. Once knotting media of
sufficient length and flexibility were available, it would have been formed as a
wind knot in a flapping line, or, with seaweed or the like, a similar structure
under water; it could also be formed as a tangle knot in an accumulation
of cord. It could have been formed directly if the core object was removed
from a Half Knot (10) or a Half Hitch (13) after capsizing. It could have
readily been used as a stopper knot to provide a grip for pulling or a stop to
hold in place such things as beads on a necklace or, as soon as any kind of
manufactured cordage started to be made, to prevent yarns or strands from
fraying or unlaying.

26 `' 27

Fig. 5. Overhand knots
If two lengths of a medium or if a bight were used to make the knot, the
result was the Overhand Bend (26) (#1410) or Overhand Loop (27) (#1009),
perhaps the simplest bend or fixed loop that could be made.
With all these knots, once the knot had been obtained by random methods
similar to those indicated, and once it had been recognised as useful, other
algorithms would probably have been devised for tying it.
The use of binding knots, round lashings, bends and probably hitches can
be inferred from the remains of many artefacts, as discussed in Chapter 1. It
is difficult to imagine any use for a loop, whether sliding or fixed, that would
leave any similar remains. However, sliding loops occur in many of the hitches
already described and their use in making snares and the like would soon occur
to someone, perhaps after noticing some naturally occurring ensnarement. But
where would a fixed loop be first applied where no other knot would do? It
is hard to imagine any application until animals started to be domesticated
some 10 000 years ago.

Conclusions
The foregoing form only a sample of the large number of different effective
knots that can be formed from very simple algorithms. While most of the
early knots were almost certainly conglomerations, the insightful construction