This is Sleepy History. Sleepy History is a production of Slumber Studios. To listen ad-free, get access to bonus episodes, and support the ongoing production of this show, check out our premium feed. Though the humble art of sledding may seem like a simple winter pastime, history shows it's much more than just that. From the burial chambers of Sumerian queens to the icy slopes of the Swiss Alps and malls in Dubai, sleds have taken many forms over the millennia. They have brought life-saving medication to remote parts of Alaska and explorers to the South Pole. But how and why were sleds first invented? And how did sports like the bobsled and the skeleton make it to the Olympics? We'll explore these questions and more tonight. So, just relax and let your mind drift. As we explore the sleepy history of sledding. Imagine for a moment that you're poised at the top of a hill. Before you, an expansive white slope stretches downward, glittering in the bright sun Yesterday's stormy skies have cleared, leaving behind the gift of snow You're filled with delightful anticipation Because this is one of those rare days that will be perfect for sledding Your method of conveyance may be a plastic saucer or an inner tube, which is capable of flying effortlessly over even an inch or two of the white stuff. You may even have a proper old-fashioned sled with metal runners that cut deeply into the powder, allowing you to steer on your way to the bottom rather than bumping and spinning freely. Either way, you are joyfully inhaling the crisp air. You're preparing to hop on, push off, and set your ride in motion. Once you start, you plan to savor every precious moment until you reach the bottom. The voices of happy children float through the air. They squeal with delight, enjoying their own rides. There are also a few adults joining in the fun. And then you are with them, the air rushing past your cheeks as if you're flying. The tiny crystals of snow spray your face like cold fairy dust, and you're momentarily lost in a sound that makes you feel almost meditative. The shushing of the snow underneath your sled. When it is over, you take a moment to catch your breath. It all happened so quickly, and yet you felt oddly suspended in the moment. You blink your eyes and brush the ice crystals off your nose and cheekbones. You look up at the dazzling sun, feeling exhilarated. Then, you slowly rise and begin your trek back up the hill, one foot sinking into the snowpack in front of the other. The walk is absolutely worth it in order to ride down again. If you grew up in a place where snow was common, it's very likely that you remember some version of this from your own childhood. Indeed, even if wintry weather was not a feature of your own experience, you may feel as if this memory is almost yours. Via books, movies, and songs, the iconic image of sledding has become a touchpoint in modern culture. It's a collective memory, drenched in goodness and nostalgia for a lot of people, featuring in holiday decorations and cards, and stories about cherished snow days off from school. But as strong as that modern imagery is, it will probably not surprise you to hear that sledding goes back hundreds, in fact, thousands of years. Also, unsurprisingly, sleds were first used for practical matters. Archaeologists have uncovered artifacts in the high Arctic of Siberia showing that humans of the Mesolithic era used sleds as much as 8,000 years ago. A well-preserved section of a sledge runner has been unearthed, providing a wealth of information. Protected by permafrost and examined by a radiocarbon dating, it shows signs of having been attached to a larger frame. although we cannot know if it was pulled by humans or animals. Scholars believe that along with primitive tools and weapons, sleds were used for the basic tasks of survival. For most people nowadays, it probably doesn't seem like a big stretch to imagine that even ancient people who lived surrounded by snow and ice figured out the utility of sleds. However, it's important to note that some of the other earliest confirmed uses of sleds did not involve snow at all. In the 1920s, archaeologists excavated an ancient Sumerian site called the Tombs of Ur. Among the many discoveries inside, there was a ceremonial chariot thought to be placed there for Queen Puabi, who had lived around the year 2600 BCE. That chariot did not have wheels, rather it had runners and is considered to have been a sledge. At about the same time, the Egyptians were beginning to make use of sledges too. Historians believe that they started using them in order to transport stone from quarries to building sites during roughly the same time period that the Sumerians created the tomb of Ur. Even on a sled, manually hauling blocks that may have weighed as much as 9,000 pounds may sound impossible. But the architects of the pyramids used a very clever trick. A tomb dating to 1900 BCE featured a painting that showed a man pouring water on the sand in front of a sledge. Modern scientists tested this method and discovered that properly wetting the sand in front of a runner cuts the force required to pull the load nearly in half. In this way, the laborers who transported the building materials were able to move very heavy cargo across the sand on a simple sled. Meanwhile, in England, sledges were also probably being used to construct another marvel of human engineering, Stonehenge The largest pieces of the stone circle weighed an astounding 25 tons And it is generally thought that they were transported to the site across many miles using sleds And of course, it stands to reason that with so many people all over the world discovering the utility of sledges at the same time, there must be many other similar examples we may never uncover From what artifacts we have today, it's pretty clear that sledges first came into use so that people could move heavy items more easily and this was regardless of climate or topography. The utility of the sled was the key. Now, let's take a leap through the centuries, crossing into the common era of the last 2,000 years. In doing this, we come upon one of the early examples of humans advancing the art of design in a sledge. In 1904, archaeologists in Norway uncovered a Viking burial mound that contained many significant historical objects. The cache of treasures, called the Osberg Viking ship, included four elaborately decorated sleighs that dated as far back as the year 800 CE, although they are believed to have been placed there after the year 834 Buried as precious gifts for the afterlife these sleighs demonstrate a desire to make the conveyance more than just a practical one elevating it to the level of art. Following right on the heels of the Osberg Vikings, we know with certainty that Russian people and many indigenous people across Inuit Nunat in the northern parts of modern Canada, the United States and Greenland, were beginning to use dogs to pull their sleds. Thanks to some archaeological finds, including fragments of harnesses and a carving on a bone handle, it is clear that humans had discovered that domesticated dogs could help pull their sleds by sometime around the year 1000 CE. Dog sledding may have been something the Mesolithic people simply couldn't do, because wolves had not yet fully progressed to the domesticated species of later years. Meanwhile, backing up a bit in history, events during the 2nd century BCE gave the world an early preview of a form of sledding that could happen even without runners, otherwise known as tobogganing. The event that is thought to have spurred this innovation was the Symbric War, which was fought between the Romans and the Germanic tribes. Thanks to a smart maneuver by the Cimbri, the Romans found themselves caught off guard by an invasion from the north. Legend has it, the Cimbri managed to launch an offensive by crossing the Alps into northern Italy, using their shields to slide upon. Although this early tobogganing may not have proven to be a lasting battle strategy, it might have been the precursor to many modern sporting and leisure forms of this beloved activity. As the second millennium CE progressed, all the innovations and uses of sledding around the world grew and converged. No longer as isolated by distance, the people of various regions passed their methods around. Dog-mushing spread from Inuit and Inupiaq people of North America to the European settlers and then back to Europe. The sleds that may have sustained the Mesolithic Russian-Siberians in their labors now appealed to Russian aristocrats, who began adopting them for recreation. Sledding morphed from being just a practical activity to a sport and a pastime for average people In fact, one of the first of those sporting activities may be what we now call the luge Even though it was not the first sledding event to be admitted to the Olympics, it may be the oldest A luge sled is a simple, flat device with two runners. Its roots are generally traced back to the year 1500 in Norway. The name comes from the French word for sled. Two fast-moving sliders are steered by a reclining person who simply leans one way or the other. This was one of the first obvious times in history when a sled was used largely for the sheer joy of flying across the ice and snow. The luge enables people to travel up to 140 kilometers per hour, so one can imagine that recreational sledding was initially more for daring adults than for children. Even the Russian aristocrats, who were engaging in the activity in the 1600s, were taking risks many would consider unacceptable today. However, a notable change occurred in the mid-1900s, and the development in children's sledding in the United States was part of that. In 1860, a New Jersey man named Samuel Leeds Allen began a quest to make sledding safer and more fun He wasn't the first to make recreational sleds In fact, a company in Maine was already manufacturing beautifully hand-painted wooden sleds they called coasters Due to the artistry involved, some of those sleds from Maine are prized collector's items today. But Alan wanted to make a sled that could be steered, unlike the existing toboggans and coasters of the time. He didn't succeed right away, testing numerous versions that were either too expensive or ineffective. However, in 1889, he patented a model he called the flexible flyer, which has now become an important part of pop culture history in the United States. The flexible flyer was not terribly different from some previous sleds, being made of wood with two metal runners. However, its best innovation was the bar at the front that allowed the rider to turn one way or the other Although the new steerable sled was not an overnight success, its time would come In order to spread the word about his new product Allen wisely took advantage of trends toward the expansion of leisure activities in the US. At the turn of the 20th century, new social forces were working in his favor. The labor movement was resulting in a shorter work week and better labor conditions. The middle class was growing. People had more leisure time, and healthy activity was becoming a more prevalent part of life for the average person Cities were expanding their public parks for use by ordinary citizens In concert with the national mood, Alan made a publicity push He advertised his new sleds as much as he could His efforts paid off Along with other types of sports and outdoor activities, sledding became more popular And so did the plucky, flexible flyer By 1910, the brand was easily recognizable and the sled was available in department stores around the country. By the time the Depression era arrived, sledding on a flyer was firmly established as an inexpensive, wholesome pastime that was accessible for most people. At the same time that commercially produced sleds and public parks were bringing sledding to the masses, it was also becoming more serious, both as a sport and as a mode of transport. Dogsledding, for example, was making headlines throughout the early 1900s. One shining moment in dogsledding can be traced to the 1911 expedition to the South Pole. Roald Amundsen was only able to get there thanks to a large team of hardy sled dogs who more than earned their own place in history On the competitive front, the first proper sled dog race may have happened just before the birth of the flexible flyer somewhere in Alaska And by the 1970s, the remote Alaska town of Nome would become synonymous with the sport. This is because of something that happened on those icy trails several decades earlier. In January 1925, a Norwegian sledder named Lennard Sopala outran a massive storm in order to deliver critical medication to gnome citizens during a deadly diphtheria outbreak. This became known as the famed Serum Run and the Great Race of Mercy. The lead dog of the heroic team was named Balto, and he is so revered by Americans that he now has a statue in New York City, commemorating that brave achievement The run itself is likewise commemorated by the annual Iditarod sled dog race that crosses northwestern Alaska and ends in Nome each winter The first Iditarod was held in 1973, after partial races in the 1960s. Nowadays, anyone who has heard of dog sledding will likely associate it with the Iditarod. This great event is the latest major sled dog race to pay homage to Alaska dog sledding heritage which expands beyond Gnome and its heroic history But before the Iditarod began humans and their sleds would make it into the Olympics. Let's take a moment to find out how that happened. The bobsleigh, or bobsled, was the first sledding event to be admitted to the international competition. This sport, which involves only human riders, had its roots in the Swiss resort town of St. Moritz. In the late 19th century, English tourists who were staying during the winter invented the contraption for fun. They did this by taking two sleds of the type used by local delivery boys and attaching them together Initially, the sleds couldn't be controlled But common sense eventually resulted in the addition of a steering mechanism The contraptions were used in the streets of the town at first Hilarity ensued for the riders, who were having a lot of fun But the disruptions the tourists were causing, flying through the streets Ultimately prompted the owner of the hotel to create a special track exclusively for bobsledding This smart innovation salvaged the relationship between the hotelier and the townspeople and it marked the beginning of what would become an Olympic sport. The run that the Hotelier created was called Cresta, and the first formal races were held there in 1884. The popularity of the sport grew, resulting in a club, as well as other dedicated tracks created specifically for bobsleds. Over time, the original wood sleds evolved into more sophisticated ones made of fiberglass and metal. In 1924, the bobsled made its first Olympic appearance. Nowadays, the sport is for both men and women, and modern bobsleds in these competitions travel up to 150 kilometers per hour. The Victorian tourists who invented it as a diversion would surely be amazed Meanwhile, another sledding event was hot on the heels of the bobsled And it too originated in St. Moritz The skeleton sled is similar to the luge, but the rider goes head first Although nobody is entirely sure who started it, the skeleton may have been invented when British soldiers in the mid-1900s were simply having fun. The story goes that one of the soldiers tried to win a race by going headfirst, and the skeleton was born. Once the Cresta Run had been built for the bobsled, it was quickly adapted for the skeleton sled as well. The skeleton event entered the Olympics right after the bobsled in 1928. But, due to its limitation of only being possible on the Cresta run, it reappeared just one more time in 1948, before being discontinued By the 1970s, however, changes in both sleds and available sled runs made wider competition possible The event was reinstated in 2002 at the Olympics, and is still happening today. Skeleton sledders travel as fast as 130 kilometers per hour, almost as fast as their counterparts in the bobsled, making it yet another type of breathtaking feat. And what about the Luge, which we know had roots all the way back in the year 1500? Well, that was the last of the sledding events to hit the big time. Like its fellows, the bobsled and the skeleton, it quickly evolved on the slopes of Switzerland, becoming part of official sledding competitions late in the 19th century. The luge was, however, the final of the three to be added to the Olympic lineup, beginning in the year 1964. In this event, one or two people lie down on their backs on a flat sled and steer by angling their bodies. The competitors reach speeds of up to 150 kilometers per hour. Now, with three sledding events prominently featured at the international level, and just years after the luge became mainstream, the world of dog sledding mounted the Iditarod. So, let's return to the dogs for a moment. At first, this now legendary competition was part of a publicity effort. In 1967, the long-standing tradition of dog sledding was seeing a decline Thanks to the fact that snow machines, also called snowmobiles, could now do the job of any sled dog team Dog sleds were losing relevance for practical reasons It was also the 100th anniversary of Alaska becoming a U.S. territory after its purchase from Russia. A committee had been convened a few years before this historical milestone in preparation for the event. The goal of the committee was to study and celebrate Alaska history. Drawing upon heritage, the chairperson of the group proposed a sled dog race that would follow the important Iditarod Trail. In contrast to the human downhill sledding events in the Olympics, the first sled dog race was one of endurance rather than simple speed. In its earliest form, the first race for that centennial followed a course that ran 100 miles. That first version of the event was repeated one more time in 1969 and then abandoned. But fans of the idea kept working on it, and a new and improved version was launched in 1973. The trail was a rough one, but it now extended all the way to Nome. The winner of that first competition was a man named Dick Walmoth, and it took him almost three long weeks of hard mushing to get to the finish line. Today, the Iditarod may be Alaska's most well-known sporting event. Because of it, the cultural celebration of dog sledding has expanded. Now, other races happen every winter. The most impressive among them might be the Yukon Quest, which is over 1,600 kilometers long and is often called the toughest sled dog race in the world. It runs between Fairbanks, Alaska and Whitehorse in Canada's Yukon Territory, making it a truly international race. Although sled dog racing has never quite made it into the Olympics, the Iditarod now sees competitors from more than two dozen countries. Although the original Iditarod Trail has been adapted to pass through more towns and does not follow the exact path of the original, it is a lasting tribute to the hardy people and dogs who so bravely traversed the region in the Gold Rush days, along the mail route crucial to rural Alaskans and during the Serum Run of 1925. Nowadays, the celebration of all types of sledding encompasses everything from children's recreation to high-level sporting. Sailing down a neighborhood sledding hill is a common experience, but thrill-seekers don't have to rise to the level of the Iditarod or the Olympics in order to experience an extra special sledding excursion. Snowy places around the world have raised the pastime to nearly artistic levels, crafting runs that draw visitors from near and far. Take for example the 2km Corkscrew Run in Oslo, Norway, which promises an exciting ride. Better yet, riders don't even have to walk back to the top. In supermodern form, they can get there by taking the metro. Reaching the toboggan Cosmojet in Val Torrens, France, requires a more traditional chairlift. Riders are dropped off at the foot of a glacier three kilometers above sea level Once they start their descent it takes about 45 minutes to complete This is not surprisingly the longest sled run in the country and is surely worth the trip up. The Cosmojet isn't the longest run in Europe, however. That title goes to the whimsically named Big Pintenfritz Run in Busau, Switzerland. The adventure begins at an elevation of 2,600 meters. Once they push off, riders will be treated to gorgeous mountain views while they complete a path that stretches for a thrilling 10.7 kilometers. For an extra thrill, night owls may head to Wildcogel Arena in Austria. Here, they can access the world's longest sled run illuminated by floodlights, descending 1300 vertical meters. One source estimates that while experienced sledders might be done with their trip in half an hour, novice riders could take as much as twice that amount of time. That adds up to a lot of thrills under the night sky for snow lovers. People who want to be on the sled both going up and down the hill can head to Lake Louise Ski Resort in Canada. There, riders can be towed up the hill while relaxing in their snow tubes, and then ride back down again. There is no need to waste any time dragging a sled at all. Speaking of tubing, for those who favor the whisper of the inflatable flying across the snow, Wisconsin may be a choice destination. This northern part of the United States hosts the largest tubing hill in the world. With more than 40 different chutes and a lift system called a magic carpet, riders can descend over and over without getting bored. Sledding in close proximity with friends is possible for those who can make the journey in Japan. One resort there will let you pile them into a raft together and then pull you around the hills using a guide on a snowmobile. It's perfect for people who believe the mantra, the more the merrier. And let's not forget the folks who live in hotter climates. While sandboarding and coaster-style sled tracks are available outside, it's even possible to experience winter sledding via the great indoors. Take for example the offerings in Dubai. Thanks to the wonders of climate control, people can hit the frozen 85-meter-high hill inside the Mall of the Emirates and enjoy its 3,000 square meter snowpark, including sled and toboggan runs. This is just a sample of the ways in which the world continues to evolve sledding, and those of us who've been fortunate enough to experience it will always look back on those carefree times with a little bit of nostalgia. Perhaps you owned a flexible flyer as a child, or maybe you remember the holiday carts featuring old-fashioned courier and ives illustrations of people frolicking in sleighs. And who can forget the symbolic importance of sleds in classic movies such as Citizen Kane? The impact of this international pastime endures in the collective imagination of many cultures today. The much-loved comic strip Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson featured many an installment, where its main characters pondered life and the universe while perched upon a sled or toboggan. These rides always ended in spectacular and funny ways, and the final comic of the entire series did not disappoint. At its very end, in 1995, Calvin and Hobbes successfully completed a sled run, riding off into the proverbial sunset of a pop culture phenomenon in the process. It's a magical world, Hobbs' old buddy, the boy says to his friend. Thanks to sledding, winter sure feels that way. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
