Curling was not “made” by a single person; it gradually developed as a winter pastime in Scotland (and possibly nearby parts of the Low Countries) during the 16th century, then evolved into the modern sport we know today.

Quick Scoop: Who made curling?

  • The sport is usually credited to Scotland, where people slid heavy stones across frozen ponds and lochs in the 1500s.
  • The exact inventor is unknown, but one of the earliest written records is from 1540–1541, describing a stone‑throwing contest on ice in Paisley, Scotland.
  • Some historians also point to paintings from 16th‑century Flemish artist Pieter Bruegel that show a curling‑like game on frozen ponds in the Low Countries (modern Belgium/Netherlands), so there may have been parallel versions.
  • The first formal rules and organized clubs came much later, in 19th‑century Scotland, with the Grand (later Royal) Caledonian Curling Club becoming the early governing body.

A tiny origin story

Imagine villagers on a frozen Scottish pond in the 1500s, bored in the long winter. Someone starts sliding a river stone across the ice, others join, they begin “throwing stones” at targets, arguing over who’s closer, and before long they’ve created a strategic ice game. No one writes their name down as “the inventor,” but the habit sticks, spreads, and centuries later it turns into Olympic curling with standardized granite stones, rules, and indoor ice sheets.

Today’s angle and “latest news”

  • Modern curling keeps those old roots (stones, ice, strategy) but is now a major Winter Olympic and world‑championship sport, especially big in Scotland and Canada.
  • Online, you’ll see a lot of recent explainers and even comedy sketches joking about how “weird” it is that people slide stones while teammates frantically sweep in front of them, but underneath that is a very old game born on frozen outdoor ponds.

Mini FAQ

  1. Where did curling start?
    Mostly associated with Scotland, on frozen ponds and lochs, in the 16th century.
  1. Who invented it, exactly?
    No single known person; early records mention people like John Sclater and Gavin Hamilton playing, but they didn’t “invent” it so much as take part in a game that was already emerging.
  1. When did it become a proper sport?
    It slowly formalized through local clubs, then in 1838 the Grand Caledonian Curling Club in Edinburgh wrote down official rules and became the main organizer.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.