Figure skating biography for children

The history of figure skating stretches back to prehistoric times.

Primitive ice skates appear in the archaeological record from about 3000 BC. Edges were added by the Dutch in the 13th and 14th century. International figure skating competitions began appearing in the late 19th century; in 1891, the European Championships were inaugurated in Hamburg, Germany, and in 1896, the first World Championship were held in Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire.

At the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, England, figure skating became the first winter sport to be included in the Olympics.

Archaeology and earliest historical documentation

The exact time and process by which humans first learned to ice skate is unknown.

Primitive animal bone ice skates have been found in Scandinavia and Russia, some dating back to about 3000 BC.

The earliest clear, written mention of ice skating is found in a