This is a list of pre-colonial inventions of Indigenous peoples of Siberia.
C
Chum – Conical tent of reindeer hides over wooden poles, used by Nenets, Khanty, and Evenks.
D Dog sledding – Remains of sled dogs from Zhokhov Island, dated to approximately 9,500 years ago, represent the earliest direct evidence of sled dog use. The site also yielded wooden sled runners and bone toggles. Genomic analysis by Sinding et al. (2020) demonstrated genetic continuity between the Zhokhov dogs and modern Arctic breeds including the Siberian Husky, Alaskan Malamute, and Greenland Dog, suggesting an unbroken lineage of Arctic sled dog breeding spanning nine millennia. Drum (shamanic) – Frame drum of bent wood and reindeer hide, used by ritual practitioners across Siberian cultures.
F Fermented meat – Kopalhen, walrus or seal buried in permafrost and consumed after autolysis.
H Toggling harpoon head – Detachable head that rotates perpendicular to the wound, used by Chukchi and Siberian Yupik.
K Koumiss – Fermented mare's milk produced by Yakuts and Tuvans. Herodotus recorded its use among Scythians.
P
Pazyryk burial preservation – The nomadic Pazyryk culture of the Altai Mountains (6th–3rd century BCE) developed embalming techniques using peat and bark, combined with burial under stone cairns that promoted permafrost formation. The frozen Pazyryk burials yielded the Pazyryk carpet, the oldest surviving knotted-pile carpet, along with preserved textiles, leather goods, and tattooed human remains. The burials were excavated by Sergei Rudenko between 1929 and 1949.
R Reindeer domestication – Barbed antler training gear from the Ust'-Polui site, Yamal Peninsula, dated to approximately 2,000 years ago, was identified by contemporary Nenets herders as headgear for young reindeer.
S Skiing – Han dynasty texts describe skiing in the Altai Mountains. Local peoples preserve a tradition using short, fur-lined boards and a single pole.
T Tattooing – Mummified remains from the Pazyryk burials display tattoos of deer, rams, and mythological creatures, dated to the 5th century BCE. The "Siberian Ice Maiden" discovered in 1993 has well-preserved examples.
Y
Yaranga – Chukchi and Siberian Yupik dwelling of wooden poles or whale bones covered with hides. An inner sleeping chamber (polog) retains heat at temperatures below −50 °C.
See also Indigenous peoples of Siberia Prehistory of Siberia Pazyryk culture Russia portal
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