Bone ice skates from 12th-century London: http://blog.museumoflondon.org.uk/taking-ice/ pic.twitter.com/4aYE8y9ZYR
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Last week I went to a museum that explained how they worked (you were pulled while on them) - I'd always wondered!
Fwiw, William Fitzstephen in the 12th century says the following :) "using hand-held poles reinforced with metal tips, which they periodically thrust against the ice, they propel themselves along as swiftly as a bird in flight or a bolt shot from a crossbow."
Yeah, a shorter version of that was in the museum, but I didn't remember enough details to be confident writing it out. Though it didn't say it was swift!
He says they fought mock battles doing this and using the poles as weapons, charging at each other...!
@MOLArchaeology have just published an interesting group of skates in Transactions @LonMidArchSoc from St Bart's hospital. About a dozen skates most horse and cow metapodials but also a tiny child's skate made from a dog bone and a possible iron pole tip as mentioned above
Oh, wow! Fascinating :)
Love your posts. So fun!
Thanks! :)
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