Re: Origin of skiing


<johnwl4@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1142526452.244308.50680@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Before Scandinavia: These could be the first skiers

By Robert Marquand | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor"

The above article, of March 15, mentions a 2000 year old design and
then mentions skis dating to 4500 years ago, found in Scandanavia.
New to me. Then discusses the present day use of skis in the Altaian
mountains of China, and suggests that the design there might date back
10000 or 20000 BP. Refers to cave paintings and speculates that skis
may have been invented there and diffused to Scandanavia.
About all one can do is speculate on the probabilities here.
Could stone age people make boards? Article says invention is common
sense, but not maybe so much so for people who didn't commonly use
boards. Moreover in heavy timber, snowshoes maybe more flexible, and
easier for stone age people to make.
However, while deer move down from the high country in Southern
Colorado in the present day, I read an account (in fiction) that deer
will beat paths among willows in areas of moderate snow. Hunters on
snowshoes easily able to kill the entire herd. Of course, hunters
needed a large range, so an area could repopulate after this. So we
can speculate that snowshoes might have been an early invention. Good
edge for humans over other predators.
The 10,000 to 20,000 year BP date would allow skis to move with the
migration into Scandanavia as the glaciers retreated.
I can't say I was impressed with the author implying telemarking
is for wimps. Bono and Kennedy proved that there is positive selection
against hunters that try to prove their macho to a tree. Of course,
maybe sexual selection would offset this.
Also, what do the Altaian cave paintings show, and how are they
dated.
So, something for idle speculation, unless someone here has some
answeres.
Regards
John GW


North America seems to have had snow shoes and the old world skies.

Wooden skies are limited compared to modern skies. Some were short and
basically meant to get you around on the level without doing much gliding
down mountains just as some snow shoes were very short while others were
rather long.


The skies were pretty much the same thing as the runners on dog sleds or
sleighs. What was most likely done was cut down a sapling split it, then
smooth both sides and curve the tips up while they were still green and let
them dry. Select the right wood and a practiced person can do a pretty good
job of this.



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