Siberian Hunting Skis
Name/Title
Siberian Hunting SkisDescription
These contemporary Siberian skis offer a striking example of the persistence of northern hunter-gatherer technological traditions from the Mesolithic till present. The dimensions of these skis are close to what we know of the dimensions and width of the Vis 1, Kalvträsk, Salla, and Drevja skis. The skis also illustrate a broader principle in technological history: when an innovation solves an enduring problem exceptionally well, there is little reason to abandon it. Horse hair on the bases provides both glide, grip and silence, the hairs lie relatively flat when the ski moves forward but resist backward sliding, especially when climbing. The result is an elegant solution achieved with locally available materials and requiring no complex mechanism. It also enables the hunter's ski noises to be muffled enough to get closer to the prey. This modern example demonstrate how solutions suited to the northern environment persist across the millennia. In this sense, these skis provide a living parallel to the much older archaeological tradition of wooden skis across northern Eurasia: materials, construction details, and bindings may change, while the fundamental solution remains recognizable. Although these are not Sámi skis, they are included here because they are a modern version of the type of skis the Sámi have used for millennia and ultimately bequeathed to us.Use
HuntingCategory
Post 1950 skis
Skis, Askmo Ski Collection