#gaotai ruins

[archaeologicalnews]

Bronze Age ice skates with bone blades discovered in China

Archaeologists in China have unearthed 3,500-year-old ice skates crafted from animal bone in the  country's western Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, a mountainous area that some archaeologists think was the birthplace of skiing.

These ice skates, the oldest ever found in China,  were made from the bones of oxen and horses, according to a translated statement. They were found in a tomb in the Gaotai Ruins, about 240 miles (385 kilometers) west of the regional capital Ürümqi, archaeologists with the Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous regional government said at a news event on Feb. 27.

It's not known if the skates were used for hunting or for regular travel. They consist of a straight piece of bone with holes at both ends so they could be strapped to footwear. The resulting "blade" is very flat compared with modern skates, but it formed a cutting edge that allowed the wearer to glide across the ice. Read more.