Climate archaeologists working in the Northern Ural Mountains have discovered the exceptionally well-preserved remains of 6,000-year-old wooden sledges. The thawing permafrost has revealed three distinct sledges, one of which features intricate bone carvings of reindeer and wolves, leading researchers to believe it served a ritual or 'shamanic' purpose for the prehistoric hunter-gatherer communities of the region.
The find is particularly significant because the organic materials, including the birchwood frames and the leather thongs used for binding, have remained intact for millennia. Preliminary radiocarbon dating suggests these are among the oldest known transport vehicles in Northern Eurasia. The discovery provides a rare window into the mobility and spiritual lives of Neolithic peoples during a period of significant environmental transition, as they adapted to the warming climate of the mid-Holocene.