Skiing has a history of almost five millennia. Modern
skiing has evolved from beginnings in Scandinavia. It may have been
practiced more than 100 centuries ago in what is now China, according to
an interpretation of ancient paintings. However, this continues to be
debated.
The word "ski" comes from the Old Norse word
"skíð" which means to "split piece of wood or firewood".
Asymmetrical skis were used in northern Finland and Sweden until at
least the late 19th century. On one foot, the skier wore a long straight
non-arching ski for sliding, and a shorter ski was worn on the other
foot for kicking. The underside of the short ski was either plain or
covered with animal skin to aid this use, while the long ski supporting
the weight of the skier was treated with animal fat in a similar manner
to modern ski waxing.