Skates Made of Bone - by B a Thurber (Paperback)

About the Book

""Ice skates made from animal bones were used in Europe for millennia before metal-bladed skates were invented. Archaeological sites have yielded thousands of examples, some of them dating to the Bronze Age. They are often mentioned in popular books on the Vikings and sometimes appear in children's literature. Even after metal skates became the norm, people in rural areas continued to use bone skates into the early 1970s. Today, bone skates help scientists and re-enactors understand migrations and interactions among ancient peoples. This book explains how to make and use them and chronicles their history, from their likely invention in the Eurasian steppes to their disappearance in the modern era."-Provided by publisher"--

Book Synopsis

Ice skates made from animal bones were used in Europe for millennia before metal-bladed skates were invented. Archaeological sites have yielded thousands of examples, some of them dating to the Bronze Age. They are often mentioned in popular books on the Vikings and sometimes appear in children's literature.

Even after metal skates became the norm, people in rural areas continued to use bone skates into the early 1970s. Today, bone skates help scientists and re-enactors understand migrations and interactions among ancient peoples.

This book explains how to make and use them and chronicles their history, from their likely invention in the Eurasian steppes to their disappearance in the modern era.

Review Quotes

"A must for anyone interested in the understudied phenomenon of bone ice skates from protohistoric and historic periods."-ICAZ (International Council of Zooarchaeology) Newsletter; "Ambitious...fresh...The book is really a must for anyone interested in the understudied phenomenon of bone ice skates from protohistoric and historic periods...excellent"-International Council of Zooarchaeology Newsletter; "Thurber expertly explains how to make and use bone skates...fascinating, impressively informative...recommended"-Midwest Book Review

"Thurber's careful, comprehensive and detailed compilation and review of sources of all kinds is admirable and will be of great benefit to future research."-Fornvännen: Journal of Swedish Antiquarian Research

About the Author

B.A. Thurber is an independent scholar based in Evanston, Illinois. Her previous publications include new editions of historic skating books and journal articles on subjects as diverse as historical linguistics, Scandinavian literature, and fluid dynamics.