Carex flacca

The tabh was a conical fishing net made of the roots of Carex flacca, commonly known as blue sedge or glaucous sedge. These roots are particularly strong. It was used by placing the net at the mouth of a dam, formed from small stones in a narrow burn. The net trailed within an inch of the surface and to a length of 6-8′. The fish were forced into the tabh by the current of the water.

These roots were also used to make strong tethers.

By Dawn Susan

Resource

Erskine Beveridge ‘North Uist’ 1911