Ski enthusiasts, when talking about ski resorts, do the Alps or Northern Europe first come to your mind?

But today, let's shift our focus eastward and look at Altay in Xinjiang, China. Because this place is internationally recognized as the origin of human skiing. How did it get this title? Let's have a discussion today.

In the painted rock - art in the Dundebulak Cave, the figures of the ancient Altay people skiing on snowboards for hunting more than 12,000 years ago are still clearly recorded to this day. This is the earliest evidence of human skiing. Photo by Kufen Nigmat.

The strongest evidence for claiming that Altay is the place of origin is a rock painting. In 2005, such a painted mural was discovered in the Dundebulak Cave in Handegart Township, Altay City. The figures on it are bending over with their buttocks sticking out, stepping on long boards and holding a stick in their hands. They are skiing on the snow for hunting.

After identification by archaeologists, it was found that these were rock paintings from the late Paleolithic period, dating back at least 12,000 years. These paintings are currently the oldest visual records of skiing ever discovered in the world.

Perhaps rock paintings alone are not enough. In 2015, this matter was thoroughly "officially confirmed". More than 30 experts and scholars in skiing history from 18 countries and regions, including Norway, Sweden, and Finland, specifically traveled to Altay for an on - the - spot inspection. After the visit, they jointly issued the "2015 Altay Declaration", officially recognizing Altay as the "origin of human skiing".

These experts aren't here for a tour. They are all professionals. Their recognition is equivalent to the international academic community awarding Altay a "Cradle of Skiing Civilization" trophy.

Silanbieke Shahesh is a traditional craftsman from Altay Prefecture. His family has passed down the ancient craftsmanship of making fur skis from generation to generation. This craftsmanship not only reflects the wisdom and creativity of the people in Altay, but also serves as a bridge connecting the past and the present. (Photo by Baerlan Jianaer)

What's even more amazing is that the evidence isn't just cold rocks. In Altay, an ancient "fur ski" technique has been passed down vividly to this day.

The core of this kind of ski is made of white pine, and the underside is covered with the fur from the lower legs of horses. When going downhill, the horsehair lies in the direction of movement, allowing for extremely fast skiing. When going uphill, the reverse - lying hair can increase friction and prevent backward slipping. It's simply an ancient high - tech marvel. This technique has now been recognized as an intangible cultural heritage.

Just think about it. Our ancestors 10,000 years ago might very well have stepped on its "first - generation version" and performed actions similar to those of today's skiers. The cultural lineage has never been broken.

Now, let's compare it with Northern Europe.

Of course, the skiing history in Northern Europe is also extremely long. For example, the ancient ski - board relics discovered in Russia are about 8,000 to 9,000 years old. However, when compared with the rock painting in Altay that dates back more than 10,000 years, Altay outshines in terms of the "earliest record".

As the core landmark for skiing in Altay, the Jiangjunshan International Ski Resort in Altay attracts numerous skiing enthusiasts. Photo by Li Xin'ai.

After looking at all this, it's really not an exaggeration to say that “Altay is the birthplace of human skiing”. It has ten-thousand-year-old rock paintings as “physical evidence”, an international expert team as “witness testimony”, and the fur skiing boards that have been passed down for ten thousand years as “living evidence”. The evidence chain is quite solid.

Next time when you're speeding across the ski slopes again, you can think about this cool trivia: the very spark of this addictive extreme sport under your feet might have been ignited more than 10,000 years ago in Altay, Xinjiang, China, by a group of ancient people chasing after prey.

Today, relying on the titles of "the birthplace of skiing" and "China's Snow Capital", Altay has built world - class ski resorts. It's quite wonderful to see this echo after ten thousand years.

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