The Broiling of their Fish over the Flame - Theodor de Bry

A detailed 1590 copperplate engraving by Theodor de Bry depicting the traditional fish-cooking methods of the Secotan people of North America.

This copperplate engraving by Theodor de Bry depicts the culinary practices of the Secotan people of coastal North Carolina. It was originally published in the 1590 edition of Thomas Hariot's 'A Briefe and True Report of the New Found Land of Virginia'. The image shows two indigenous men preparing fish on a wooden frame, known as a barbecue, over an open fire. One man tends to the fish with a long fork, while the other carries a basket of additional catch on his back.

De Bry based this work on the watercolours of John White, an artist who accompanied the 1585 expedition to Roanoke. While White provided the observational basis, de Bry adapted the figures to fit European aesthetic conventions of the late sixteenth century. The musculature and posture of the men reflect the classical influences common in European art of the period, rather than a strictly literal representation of the subjects. The engraving demonstrates the technical precision of the period, with fine cross-hatching used to define the texture of the flames, the smoke, and the wooden structure.

This print serves as a primary visual record of European encounters with North American indigenous cultures. It documents specific technologies, such as the raised cooking platform, which allowed for the efficient smoking and drying of fish. The work remains a subject of study for historians interested in the intersection of colonial exploration, ethnographic documentation, and the dissemination of information through print media in early modern Europe. The composition is balanced, with the central fire acting as the primary focus, flanked by the two figures who frame the action. The attention to detail in the fish, the basketry, and the construction of the fire rack provides insight into the material culture of the Secotan people as interpreted by European observers.