Prehistoric Ski Pair Unearthed in Norway’s Melting Glaciers
Prehistoric Ski Pair Unearthed in Norway’s Melting Glaciers
Published : 18-Jul-2025 12:18
Archaeologists in Norway have uncovered a rare pair of prehistoric skis, shedding new light on Iron Age winter travel and climate adaptation. The second ski was found just five meters from the first, which was discovered seven years ago on Digervarden mountain. Radiocarbon dating places both skis at around 1,300 years old.
The find, part of the Secrets of the Ice initiative led by Innlandet County Council and the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo, is hailed as the best-preserved prehistoric ski pair ever discovered.
Remarkably, the skis—made from birch and pine—still retain their original bindings, allowing researchers to create replicas and study ancient skiing techniques.
"This discovery proves that people braved high mountain terrain in winter for hunting and transport," said archaeologist Lars Holger Pilø. "It also offers unprecedented insight into Iron Age resilience and ingenuity."
The skis were revealed by glacial retreat, a phenomenon driven by climate change. While melting ice threatens fragile artifacts, it also exposes long-hidden relics. Pilø noted that such finds help reconstruct human responses to past climate shifts, like intensified reindeer hunting during the Late Antique Little Ice Age.
As glaciers continue to melt at increasing speed, archaeologists hope more secrets will emerge—illuminating both human history and environmental change.
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