Ski history | hunting in a landscape with deep snow | Norway

The word ski comes from the Old Norse language, with the meaning cleft wood. The old Norwegians were master hunters, and have been skiing for over 5000 years.

LA Dahlmann | talk NORWAY

The Rødøy skier - rock carving from 2000 BC - Rødøy, Nordland, Norway. | Illustration: Based on a stamp published by Posten Norge.

Pronunciation

Ski

Rock carvings and archaeological finds

The above illustration is based on a stone-age rock carving, found at Rødøy in the Norwegian region of Nordland. Some say that the depiction shows a person in a boat, but the general belief is that she or he is one of Norway’s earliest skiers. In 1959, Johan Kleivhaug found 5000-year-old ski-remains on his land in Vefsn, also in Nordland. Norway’s historical Sami and Norse populations were both excellent skiers – and guarded and guided their abilities safely through the millennia and into our own time.

Hunting in the deep snow

When the early Norwegians were out hunting, they moved through vast areas of land. In winter, the ground was covered by deep snow, and they needed a tool to help them conquer the elements; they needed skis. Not only did a simple pair of wooden planks allow the hunter to float on top of the snow, they also allowed her to move as fast as the wind.

The skis were shaped to fit the landscape

Throughout history, the length and width of the skis have changed. It was very much the layout of the landscape and the practical use that decided the design; some were long, some short, and some wide. Every generation and every community had their own master ski-maker, who adjusted, tweaked, and improved as the millennia passed by.

Clad with fur

Today, ski wax is applied to the bottom side of the skis to create the optimal glide. It is all very high tech. Our ancestors, on the other hand, used quite a different method. They simply attached animal fur to the bottom of the ski, with the tip of the hairs pointing backwards. This gave a good forward glide, and had the opposite effect when moving uphill. Fur-clad skis have been in use well into our own time.

One long and one short ski

In steeper terrain, the two skis were often of equal length. However, in areas with relatively flat or undulating mountain plateaus and forestland, there would often be one long and one short ski – a langski and an andor or ånder. The long ski was on the left foot and was mainly used for gliding. The short ski on the right foot was used when moving forward, steering, and climbing uphill. It was usually this shorter right-hand side andor that had fur underneath.

Only one ski pole

Today’s skiers have two poles when out in the tracks. Our forebears made do with just the one. Photographs from as late as in the early 1900s show that the one pole was still the norm.

Gods and Vikings

The old Norse winter-god Ull was a master at skiing, running faster and bolder than anyone else. And the goddess Skade could ski down the hill and still shoot with her bow and arrow. A Viking warrior was no less of a skier than he was a swordsman.

Visit the Norwegian ski museum when you are next in Oslo

The next time that you visit Norway’s capital Oslo, ask a passer-by to point out the Holmenkollen ski jump for you, up on one of the hills shielding the city. You can easily see the majestic lambda-shaped structure from down-town Oslo. To most Norwegians, Holmenkollen is a symbol of pride, a link back to their ancient past. The Oslo Metro will take you there in 30 minutes – high above the city. We highly recommend the outing. And whilst you are there, why not visit the Norwegian Ski Museum. We are sure that you will not regret the trip.

Main source: «Norsk skitradisjon» by Olav Bø – Det norske samlaget 1966.

Our most recent posts

Skigard | means wooden fence in Norwegian | Norway

Skigard is a Norwegian noun that means wooden fence. It is made of split tree trunks, using simple tools. Fence making and mending was a task for early summer.

Faredag | notice day for farmhands – twice a year | Norway

In the old farming society, nature dictated the flow of the working year. And farmworkers could only leave their jobs on 2 specific days during the year.

Ljå | means scythe in Norwegian | Norway

Ljå is a Norwegian noun that means a scythe – an old agricultural cutting-tool used when mowing the grass to make hay, or when harvesting the grain crops.

Primstav | a calendar-stick was a must on the old farm | Norway

A primstav is an old wooden calendar-stick, marking the days of the year and important events. It splits the year into two equal halves: summer and winter.

My Norwegian heritage

Homestead | bringing home the winter hay | Norway

On the historical Norwegian farm, winter feed for the domesticated animals was a precious resource. Sometimes it was harvested and temporarily stored far away from the farm.

Norwegian history | the Early modern period | Norway

In the year AD 1537, King Christian 3 of Denmark-Norway embraced the Lutheran Reformation, and the Norwegians went from being Catholics to Protestants. The king confiscated the Catholic Church’s considerable wealth, a welcomed addition to the royal coffers. Norway more or less ceased to exist as a sovereign state and became a province under Denmark.

The last workhorse at Sandaker farm | Norway

When I was a boy, it was the workhorse that pulled the heaviest weight in agricultural life. And this had been the reality for as long as anyone could remember.

Vintage photos | the artwork | Norway

A photo is a snapshot of history - and a story and a history lesson in itself.

Hytte | the ancestral call from the mountain cabin | Norway

The traditional Norwegians are drawn to their cabins, whether it be in the mountains, in the forest, or by the sea. Some would say that they are a people obsessed.

Norwegian history | the post World War 2 era | Norway

After the end of World War 2, the Norwegians all took part in lifting their country well and truly into the 20th century.

Homestead | how to hand-milk the cow | Norway

In 1935, Aslaug Engnæs published a guidance book on how to milk the cow.

Queen Maud of Norway | her background and childhood years

Queen Maud of Norway was born in London in 1869, as Princess Maud of Wales. Her grandmother was none other than the formidable Queen Victoria.

Norway | on the coastal path along the Oslofjord

Whether it be on a rainy day - or a beautiful summer’s day like this one - the coastal paths take us through some pleasing stretches of Norwegian scenery.

Moose calf saved from drowning in 1939 | Norway

Magne Løvstuen and his family adopted this moose calf after saving it from drowning in Lake Mjøsa.

Food history | the beginning | Norway

When humankind first appeared in the Norwegian landscape – sometime after the last ice age – the search for food was their primary motivation.

The old Norwegian farm | its land and surroundings | Norway

In this post, we take a look at the layout of the Norwegian farm and its surroundings - and how the land and its resources were utilised.

Homestead | moving into the barn during summer | Norway

The first half of the 1900s was a time of enormous change in Norwegian society. It was then that a young boy experienced a peculiar family custom.

Homestead | the old farm and the need for water | Norway

The old Norwegian farm needed hundreds of litres of water every single day: for food-making, cleaning, and human and animal consumption.

Stabbur | the food storehouse on the old Norwegian farm

Like all buildings on the old Norwegian farm, the stabbur had a clear purpose: it was a building designed for the storage of food.

Norwegian history | transformation and neoliberalism | Norway

During the AD 1970s, both an increased female participation in the labour market, and the green movement, were causes firmly added to the agenda. There was a heightened focus on maternity leave, access to kindergarten, and maternity benefits.

Myrmelk | means milk buried in a peat bog in Norwegian | Norway

Myrmelk is a Norwegian noun that means milk conserved in a container buried in a mountain peat bog, left there for herders or others to drink at a later stage.