The wheel is considered one of the inventions that changed the course of human history, but it has remained unclear when this innovation actually occurred.
Now, archaeologists have uncovered stones that are possibly among the earliest examples of wheels, dating back 12,000 years.
It was previously believed that the invention of the wheel happened 6,000 years ago, but this new discovery suggests that wheel-like technologies may have existed much earlier than expected.
A study published in the PLOS One journal revealed that experts found round stones that could potentially be early wheels. These stones were discovered during excavations in northern Israel.
Researchers believe these stones are likely associated with the Natufian culture, which thrived thousands of years ago in the regions of Palestine and Jordan. This was the era when human life was transitioning toward agricultural practices.
Thousands of years later, the actual wheel emerged during the Bronze Age. According to the researchers, this discovery suggests that wheel-like inventions may have existed 4,000 years earlier than previously thought.
It is believed that the wheel was invented in the ancient Mesopotamian region (modern-day Iraq) or Eastern Europe, though the exact location remains unknown.
The researchers explained that these discovered stones offer insights into the process of creating rotating wheels. They stated that these rocky tools were in fact the earliest wheels based on their shape and function.
Using 3D modeling, they analyzed these stones made of limestone, which they believe were used as spindles or wheels.
