Prehistoric paintings found in Scandinavia prove that cross-country skiing was in use in northern Europe more than 2,000 years B.C. Made from long animal bones, primitive skis were used for travelling and hunting on snow-covered land. In 2021, a team of scientists found a pair of wooden skis in the Digervarden ice patch in Norway. In perfect condition, they are 187 centimetres long and 17 cm wide and still have their leather straps. Dated to 1300 BC, these skis belong to the pre-Viking era.