6 July 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

New evidence for early regional exchanges in Eurasia: Ice skates made of animal bones over 3,000 years old

Chinese archaeologists have discovered ancient ice skates made of animal bones at the Gaotai Ruins in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwestern China.

Announcing the incredible find at a recent press conference, researchers said the ancient skates were created from ox and horse bones and are likely to be over 3,000 years old.

Xinjiang, located at the crossroads of China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, is a mountainous region widely regarded as the birthplace of skiing. Cave paintings discovered in the Altai mountain range around 10,000 years ago appear to depict hunters on skis, while the Altai people who live in the area maintain an ancient tradition of hand-crafting wooden skis for transportation.

The skates were discovered in a tomb from the 16th and 15th centuries BC in the Gaotai Ruins, about 240 miles (385 kilometers) west of the regional capital Ürümqi, according to Ruan Qiurong, a researcher with the regional institute of cultural relics and archaeology in Xinjiang.

It is unknown if the skates were used for daily transportation or for hunting. They are made of a straight piece of bone with holes drilled into it at either end, allowing them to be fastened to shoes. In contrast to modern skates, the resulting “blade” is incredibly flat, but it served as a cutting edge that made it possible for the wearer to glide across the ice.

Photo: Xinjiang Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology
Photo: Xinjiang Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology

Though it’s unclear whether the ice skates were used for hunting, transportation, or something else, archaeologists say they’re very similar to bone skates discovered in ancient Europe. They claim that this demonstrates clear evidence of communication between China and Europe during the Bronze Age.

The discovery offers new evidence for early regional exchanges in Eurasia and provides precious materials for studying the origins of skating in China, says Ruan.

Dozens of wooden vehicle parts, including 11 solid wooden wheels, were also discovered at the burial site, along with hundreds of pottery pieces, stone tools, animal bones, and bronzeware, among other relics.

Buried wooden vehicle parts. Photo: Xinjiang Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology
Buried wooden vehicle parts. Photo: Xinjiang Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology

“Judging by the scattered pieces, we believe that these wooden vehicle parts were deserted by their owners, detached on purpose, and buried during establishing the tomb,” excavation team leader Ruan Qiurong reportedly explained at the press conference.

The Gaotai Ruins are “the largest, highest-[class], and best-preserved stone tomb architectural remains of the Bronze Age found in Xinjiang and even the Eurasian [landmass],” according to the Xinjiang Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology.

Cover Photo: An animal bone skate unearthed from Gaotai Ruins. Xinjiang Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology

Related Articles

Khirbet Midras pyramid and  Archaeological Site in Israel

28 November 2022

28 November 2022

Khirbet Midras (Arabic) or Horvat Midras (Hebrew) is one of several antiquities sites located within the Adullam Grove National Park,...

The biblical narrative of Sodom may have been inspired by a cosmic meteorite that devastated an ancient city

21 September 2021

21 September 2021

The Bible account of Sodom’s destruction lies at the heart of classic “fire and brimstone” judgment day prophesies. But what...

A center on the Anatolian Mesopotamian trade route; Tavsanli Mound

24 October 2021

24 October 2021

Excavations at Tavşanlı mound, which is known to be the first settlement in Western Anatolia during the Bronze Age, continue....

Unique Rock Tomb Discovered in Southeastern Türkiye’s Şanlıurfa

3 March 2025

3 March 2025

Hasan Şıldak, the governor of the city of Şanlıurfa in south-eastern Türkiye, announced on his social media account that a...

A bronze tablet from 2000 years ago proves that Greek was spoken in Anatolia and that a multicultural life existed ‘Anisa tablet’

12 April 2024

12 April 2024

The Anisa bronze tablet proves that Greek was used in Anatolia 2000 years ago and that a multicultural life existed....

A rural necropolis from Late Antiquity discovered in northeastern France

5 November 2022

5 November 2022

Inrap archaeologists have unearthed a small rural necropolis from the late 5th century (Late Antiquity) at Sainte-Marie-aux-Chênes in northeastern France....

Excavation in Larissa finds a Hellenistic era sanctuary

27 November 2021

27 November 2021

The Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sport reported on Friday the discovery of ancient Greek and Hellenistic era structures at...

New discoveries show that Claros continued to serve as an oracle center after Christianity

14 September 2022

14 September 2022

Game boards and forked cross motifs dating to the fifth and seventh centuries AD were discovered at the ancient Greek...

Rare Celtic Helmet Unearthed in Poland, the Oldest Ancient Helmet Ever Uncovered in the Country

9 September 2024

9 September 2024

Archaeologists have discovered a rare Bronze helmet from the 4th century BC, along with 300 Celtic treasures, including axes, spearheads,...

Archaeologists find 4,000-year-old Sanctuary in Netherlands

22 June 2023

22 June 2023

Archaeologists discovered a 4,000-year-old sanctuary during excavations of the model industrial estate in the town of Tiel, located 72 kilometers...

Particle physics and archeology collaboration uncovers secret Hellenistic underground chamber in Naples

13 May 2023

13 May 2023

The ruins of the ancient necropolis of Neapolis, built by the Greeks between the end of the fourth and the...

A 1,600-year-old church has been discovered in Turkey’s ancient city of Priene

19 October 2021

19 October 2021

A 1,600-year-old historical church was unearthed during the excavations in the Ancient City of Priene, located in the western province...

1,300-year-old shipwreck found in southwest France

19 June 2022

19 June 2022

Archeologists in France have discovered the wreck of a ship that navigated the Garonne river in southwestern France in the...

4,000-year-old settlement found during Balasore town India

9 July 2021

9 July 2021

A 4,000-year-old settlement and ancient artifacts have been discovered in the Balasore district, India. The Odisha Institute for Maritime and...

Artifacts used for ancient magic rituals discovered on Darb al-Hajj route from Cairo to Mecca

11 September 2023

11 September 2023

The artifacts, found in the 1990s on the ancient Darb al-Hajj route from Cairo to Mecca, may have been in...