Curling Stone

“There are curling clubs throughout the world, and the goal for most curlers is to play with a set of granite curling stones made by Kays of Scotland… As curator, I was delighted that Kays accepted our invitation to attend the 2003 Folklife Festival.”

—Nancy Groce, program curator

How to turn a raw boulder into a precision piece of sports equipment

Curling was featured at the 2003 Festival as one of two traditional sports closely associated with Scotland (the other is golf). Program curator Nancy Groce noted that the curling tent was always crowded. Not only was there a mock ice rink (made of vinyl; real ice would have melted in the summer heat) but Kays of Scotland, which has been making curling stones since 1851, sent literally tons of granite in varying stages of cut and polish to illustrate the manufacturing steps. Two of their top employees, twins James and Russell Wyllie, discussed the process, the special qualities of the granite, and demonstrated the techniques and strategy of the game.

James Wyllie demonstrates some curling moves for Festival visitors.
Photo by Richard Strauss, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives

The sport of curling involves sliding a polished granite stone, weighing between 38 and 44 pounds, down a sheet of ice toward a target painted on the ground. Its roots are found in sixteenth century Scotland, where it grew into a popular outdoor sport as a competitive diversion from the long, cold winters. Centuries later, the game moved inside and in 1998 became an official Winter Olympics sport. Today, Canadians dominate curling in the Olympics, but making the polished granite stones continues to be a Scottish specialty.

Kays has exclusive rights to mining the Ailsa Craig quarry, dramatically located on a small island formed by an extinct volcano off the west coast of Scotland. It is considered the best source of granite for curling stones in the world. The top-grade Blue Hone granite has a uniform hardness that makes it uniquely suitable for curling—it is well balanced and has very low water absorption, which prevents the repeated freezing during play from eroding the stones. Kays’ curling stones have become the standard for international competition, and they are currently the sole providers of stones used by the World Curling Federation. The white lettering, red washer, and blue handle on this stone are intentional: Kays of Scotland presented it to the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage as “gift to America” after the 2003 Scotland at the Smithsonian program.

—Erin Younger, exhibition curator