Skis and Skiing: From the Stone Age to the Birth of the Sport

A fascinating, complete history of the ski from its birth more than 8,000 years ago and its spread northwest and northeast from Central Asia throughout the circumpolar area. The ski, which evolved from one type of snowshoe, never made it to the new world until brought by Norwegians in the 19th century. For many millennia skiing was primarily a means of transportation in winter and used in hunting. Skiing became a sport in the 19th century.