Editing Ice skate (section)

==History==
[[File:Eislaufverein Turnhalle Graz 7 Feber 1909 mit Johann Oberhammer.jpg|thumb|left|Ice skating in [[Graz]] in 1909]]
[[File:Medieval-skates-London.jpg|thumb|right|Medieval bone skates on display at the [[Museum of London]]]]
[[File:Schlittschuhe-kufen.jpg|thumb|right|German ice skates from the 19th century, the boot came separately]]
According to a study done by Federico Formenti, [[University of Oxford]], and Alberto Minetti, [[University of Milan]], [[Finnish people|Finns]] were the first to develop ice skates some 5,000 years ago from animal bones.<ref>[http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/01/080104-first-skates.html Bone Ice Skates Invented by Ancient Finns, Study Says] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221131850/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/01/080104-first-skates.html |date=2014-02-21 }}, nationalgeographic.com</ref> This was important for the Finnish populations to save energy in harsh winter conditions when hunting in [[Finnish Lakeland]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/science/article3090363.ece |title=Dashing Finns were first to get their skates on 5,000 years ago |newspaper=[[The Times]] |access-date=2007-12-24 |location=London |first=Mark |last=Henderson |date=2007-12-24 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080111150854/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/science/article3090363.ece |archive-date=2008-01-11 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7159057.stm |title=Skating traced back 4,000 years |work=[[BBC News]] |access-date=2007-12-24 |date=2007-12-24 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071227071712/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7159057.stm |archive-date=2007-12-27 }}</ref> Finland has about 187,888 lakes, which separated villages from each other. To travel between villages, the Finnish people had two options: to take a longer route around the lake, or to find a way across the frozen surface of the lake.<ref>{{Cite book |title=1001 Inventions that changed the world |publisher=Hachette India}}</ref>  
The earliest known skate to use a metal blade was found in [[Fennoscandia]], and was dated to 200 AD. It was fitted with a thin strip of copper folded and attached to the underside of a leather shoe.

Starting in 1976, during excavations of the city of [[York]], UK, 42 pairs of [[Viking]]-era ice skates were found at [[Coppergate]];<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.jorvikvikingcentre.co.uk/about/jorvik-artefact-gallery/ | title=JORVIK Artefact Gallery }}</ref> the majority are made from horse leg bones, although cattle leg bones were also used. The bones were cut flat and polished on one side and drilled with a hole at one end. A leather thong, held in place by a wooden peg, was inserted into the hole to attach the skate to the wearer’s ankle. The Viking invasion of York took place on November 1, 866.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cannon |first1=John |title=Ælle |url=https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199550371.001.0001/acref-9780199550371-e-37 |website=A Dictionary of British History |publisher=Oxford University Press |access-date=24 August 2024 |language=en |doi=10.1093/acref/9780199550371.001.0001 |date=2015|isbn=9780199550371 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Johnson |first1=Ben |title=Invaders! Angles, Saxons and Vikings |url=https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/Invaders/ |website=Historic UK |access-date=24 August 2024}}</ref> This would suggest that bone ice skates were being used in England from the ninth century.

[[William Fitzstephen]], writing in the 12th century, described the use of bone skates in London. The following seems to be an [[Early Modern English]] translation of the [[Latin]] original:
{{blockquote|when the great fenne or moore (which watereth the walles of the citie on the North side) is frozen, many young men play upon the ice, some striding as wide as they may, doe slide swiftly... some tye bones to their feete, and under their heeles, and shoving themselves by a little picked staffe, doe slide as swiftly as birde flyeth in the aire, or an arrow out of a crossbow.<ref>Keith C. Heidorn, ''[http://www.islandnet.com/~see/weather/almanac/arc2010/alm10feb2.htm The Weather Doctor's Weather Almanac: Playing Through Winter On Snow and Ice: Part 2: Ice Skating and Sledding] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100830200418/http://www.islandnet.com/~see/weather/almanac/arc2010/alm10feb2.htm |date=2010-08-30 }}'' (2010).</ref>}}

In the 13th century, the Dutch revolutionized ice skating by sharpening the blades of ice skates, which were made of steel at the time.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hines |first=James R. |title=Historical Dictionary of Figure Skating |date=2011 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |isbn=978-0-8108-6859-5 |series= |location=Lanham, Maryland |pages=xix}}</ref>