Whaling

Whaling did not emerge to hunt for sport. It emerged to harvest the largest animals on Earth—mobile mountains of calories, oil, and materials that could sustain entire communities through seasons when other food sources failed.

The earliest evidence of organized whale hunting comes from Korea, where rock carvings at Bangudae date to approximately 6000 BCE, depicting whales and what appear to be hunting scenes. In Scandinavia, similar petroglyphs suggest parallel traditions. These early whalers likely targeted whales that ventured into shallow waters or became stranded, evolving techniques to drive animals toward shore rather than pursuing them in open ocean.

The adjacent possible for whaling required the convergence of several technologies. Seaworthy boats capable of approaching large marine mammals provided the platform. Toggling harpoons—designed to twist beneath the skin and anchor securely—allowed initial strikes that wouldn't simply pull free. Floats made from inflated sealskins or bladders attached to harpoon lines exhausted wounded whales and marked their location. Rope of sufficient strength to withstand a whale's thrashing completed the technical requirements.

Geography determined which communities developed whaling traditions. Coastal peoples with access to whale migration routes—the Basques along the Bay of Biscay, the Makah of the Pacific Northwest, the Inuit of the Arctic, the Maori of New Zealand—each developed sophisticated techniques suited to local conditions and target species. Arctic peoples hunted bowhead whales; Pacific Islanders pursued humpbacks; Basques became famous for right whales. Each tradition arose independently from the same incentive: whales represented an almost incomprehensible abundance of resources.

A single whale provided more materials than months of other hunting could yield. Meat and blubber fed communities for weeks. Oil rendered from blubber lit lamps, preserved food, and waterproofed materials. Baleen—the filtering plates in the mouths of certain species—provided flexible, durable material for tools and construction. Bones became structural elements for houses and boats. Nothing was wasted; everything found use.

The cultural significance of whaling exceeded its economic function. Communities that hunted whales developed elaborate rituals around the hunt—ceremonies of preparation, protocols for distribution of meat, celebrations of successful catches. Whaling crews became elite social units; successful whalers gained prestige that influenced political and religious hierarchies. The whale became simultaneously prey, deity, and defining element of cultural identity.

The technological cascade from traditional whaling leads to industrial extraction that nearly eliminated several species. Harpoon cannons replaced hand-thrown weapons. Steam-powered ships pursued whales into Antarctic waters. Factory ships processed catches at sea. By the 20th century, whaling had become an industry measured in barrels of oil rather than community sustenance.

By 2026, commercial whaling persists in a handful of countries despite the 1986 moratorium. Indigenous subsistence whaling continues under regulated quotas in Alaska, Greenland, and elsewhere. The 8,000-year-old practice survives because some communities retain cultural and nutritional traditions that industrial alternatives cannot replace.