What is the oldest curling stone?

The Stirling Stone-dated 1511. The earliest known curling stone is the one pictured at the right, called the “Stirling Stone”, it was discovered when an old pond was drained at Dunblane, Scotland. This stone is inscribed with the date “1511″, thereby making it the oldest known curling stone.


Where was the oldest curling stone found?

Curling, like shinty, is a native sport to Scotland and can be traced back to medieval times, with the world's oldest curling stone (in the collection of the Stirling Smith Museum) dating from 1511.

How much is a curling rock worth?

A single curling stone certified for the Olympics costs over $600. That makes a full set of 16 stones worth $9,600. Since 2006, every stone used in the Olympic Winter Games has come from Kays of Scotland. The company has produced curling stones since 1851.


When were curling stones invented?

Evidence that curling existed in Scotland in the early 16th century includes a curling stone inscribed with the date 1511 found (along with another bearing the date 1551) when an old pond was drained at Dunblane, Scotland.

Where did the original curling stones come from?

The island of Ailsa Craig was the original location where curling stones were made. Curling stones are made from three types of quartz-free granite: Blue Hone, Ailsa Craig Common Green (both found on Ailsa Craig island), and Trefor, which can be found in the Trefor quarry of Wales.


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Why do they brush the ice in front of a curling stone?

Curlers sweep the ice to help the stone travel farther and straighter. Sweeping in front of the stone reduces friction and helps the curlers control the amount of curl the stone undergoes. The sweeping quickly heats and melts the pebbles on the ice leaving a film of water.

Why do all curling stones come from Ailsa Craig?

The Ailsa Craig granite is some of the hardest and purest found in the world and maintains its shape despite the moist, wet conditions of the ice surface curling is played on. Common green Ailsa Craig granite is used to create the body of the Olympic curling stone.

Do they freeze the curling stones?

Unlike skating ice, which is made to be as smooth as possible— “burnt,” in industry parlance—curling ice is pebbled. Between games, it is sprayed with droplets of water, which freeze to form microscopic bumps.


Why are curling stones only made in Scotland?

The main source of granite used for curling stones comes from Ailsa Craig, a small isle located off the coast of mainland Scotland. Most of the curling stones used in the Olympics and the Paralympics have come from Ailsa Craig. Kays of Scotland has the exclusive rights to harvest granite from Aisla Craig.

What is the life of a curling stone?

Kim says the life expectancy of a curling stone is about 50 to 70 years. In many cases, Canadian curling club stones are that old or older, forcing them to purchase new ones.

How much is a curling puck?

Brand new curling stones cost between $500 and $900 each. Refurbished stones cost about $450 each, and used stones cost between $200 and $350 each, depending on condition and type of granite.


Do curlers have their own stones?

To play curling, a set of stones are needed. They are made of a special type of granite and weigh almost 20 kilos each. Each curler has their own brush and a pair of special curling shoes with one sole that grips the ice and one slippery sole – called a Slider – to be able to slide with a stone during delivery.

Which country is the birthplace of curling?

Curling has a long history in Scotland, and it from Scotland that it has been taken to the other colder parts of the world in which the game is now played. As with all other games evidence for the earliest periods of curling is scarce.

What happens if you touch the curling stone?

Touching a moving stone: Between the tee line at the delivering end and the hog line at the playing end: If a moving stone is touched, or is caused to be touched, by the team to which it belongs, or by their equipment, the touched stone is removed from play immediately by that team.


Do curling stones still come from Ailsa Craig?

Did you know that all the curling stones used at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics are made in Scotland? The granite is quarried on the tiny uninhabited island of Ailsa Craig and then made in the East Ayrshire town of Mauchline.

What is the floor in curling made of?

The playing surface or curling sheet is a rectangular area of ice, carefully prepared to be as flat and level as possible, 146 to 150 feet in length by 14.2 to 15.7 feet in width. The shorter borders of the sheet are called the backboards.

Why do they yell hard in curling?

So, why all the shouting? Don't confuse it with trash talk. With the “sheet” – i.e., playing area – measuring up to 150 feet long, yelling is the best way for the skip (team captain) to communicate how the sweepers should work to move the stone down the ice as they take each shot.


Why do they polish the floor in curling?

The basic principle behind sweeping is deceptively simple. The heat produced by the friction generated by sweeping melts the ice and produces a thin layer of water over which the heavy granite stone slides more easily since the friction between the stone and water is less than that between the stone and ice.

What happens if a sweeper touches the stone in curling?

First off, if the sweeper touches the stone before it has passed the hog line, the stone will be removed from play. However, if the contact occurs after the stone has passed the hog line, it is up to the opposing team's skip to decide whether or not the stone is removed from play.

What is on the bottom of a curling broom?

Head / Brush Head: The plastic part of the broom at the end of the shaft that holds the pads in place is known as the brush head.


Why do curling stones have little lights on them?

WHY ARE THERE LIGHTS ON THE CURLING STONES? As you will see on the stones there are a pair of red and green lights on either side of the handle. These are a tracking system to ensure that athletes release the stone before the first hog line.

How much does a set of Olympic curling stones cost?

A complete set of 16 reconditioned (used) rocks with handles generally runs $4000 - $7500, depending on the style, granite quality, and age. By comparison, a complete set of new rocks with handles will range from $8500 - $13000. Rock rentals, either short or long term, are also available.

Are curling stones reused?

When stones are no longer playable, they are down-cycled to other uses, most commonly as a unique decorations. There is no circular path to recycle stones at the end of their useful playing career back to playable stones. There is no way to reprocess the used stones or manufacturing scraps back into granite.