The Origins Of The Snowman

Humans have been building snowmen for centuries, using snow as a temporary and accessible form of self expression.

Snowman historian Bob Eckstein argues that the tradition may stretch back to prehistoric times, as people have always made representations of themselves.

Physical evidence does not survive, but the earliest known depiction appears in a Book of Hours from 1380, where a snowman is illustrated in the margins. This confirms that snowmen were already part of everyday life in medieval Europe.

During the Middle Ages, snowmen were treated as a form of folk art. Snow was described as “free art supplies dropped from the sky”, allowing people of all classes to create large scale figures.

In 1494, the young Michelangelo was commissioned to sculpt a snowman in Florence. In 1511, during an extreme winter in Brussels, streets were filled with elaborate snowmen that made political and satirical statements. The event later became known as the Miracle of 1511.

Snowmen also appeared in historical records outside Europe. In 1690, guards at Fort Schenectady in present day New York reportedly left snowmen at their posts during a blizzard, shortly before a deadly attack on the settlement.

The familiar features of the modern snowman developed over time. Carrots became popular noses because they were cheap, widely available in winter and easy to shape. Stones, coal and sticks were similarly practical choices for eyes, buttons and arms.

By the Victorian era, snowmen were firmly associated with family life and winter celebrations. In the 20th and 21st centuries characters such as Frosty the Snowman turned them into global cultural icons, followed by Frozen’s Olaf.

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