A research team led by Columbia University historian Richard Bulliet, along with engineers Lee Alacoque from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Kai James from Georgia Institute of Technology, provides a compelling theory on the origin of the wheel. Evolution of the wheel-and-axle system. Credit: Royal Society Open Science (2024) Their findings point to ancient copper miners in the Carpathian Mountains as the creators of the first wheeled devices, specifically for transporting ore. The study’s insights, supported by computational modeling, challenge conventional theories about the wheel’s invention, previously linked to the potter’s wheel in Mesopotamia around 4000 BCE. Bulliet and his colleagues used design science and computational mechanics to explore how miners may have adapted simple rollers—logs stripped of limbs—to gradually transform into wheel-and-axle systems suitable for narrow mine tunnels. This study suggests that the unique mining environment, with its tight and winding paths, exerted evolutionary pressures on the technology, prompting a gradual shift from basic rollers to a more advanced, maneuverable wheel-and-axle system. In their model, the researchers mapped out three critical stages in the evolution of the wheel. Initially, rollers were grooved to prevent ore-laden boxes from slipping off. This modification allowed workers to avoid constantly repositioning rollers along the transport path, thus simplifying the hauling process. The second innovation involved widening the ends of these grooved rollers, which led to a rudimentary axle capable of accommodating a single or double set of wheels. Artifacts depicting ancient wheel designs. (a) Sketch of a four-wheeled clay mug from the Boleráz culture. (b) Drawing depicting a clay model from the Boleráz culture.

The invention of the wheel stands as a monumental achievement in human history, an innovation that has profoundly shaped the course of civilization. While the wheel’s importance is undeniable, the question of who first conceived this ingenious invention remains shrouded in mystery. Who Invented the Wheel? No one individual, culture, or civilization can take sole credit for inventing the wheel, although the general consensus is that the ancient Sumerians had a hand in it. The wheel is, without a doubt, one of humanity’s most transformative innovations. Its invention marked a turning point in the development of tools and technology, and its influence transcended time and place. But why is it so important to uncover the origins of the wheel? Understanding the inception of this remarkable invention allows us to appreciate its significance in the broader context of human progress. From early agricultural advancements to the modern industrial age, the wheel has been an enduring symbol of innovation, enabling us to conquer distances, transport goods, and shape the world as we know it. What Civilization Invented the Wheel? It is believed that Mesopotamian cultures, namely the Sumerians, invented the wheel around the 4th millennium BCE. Ancient wheels found in modern-day Iraq are the earliest examples of the wheel, with other civilizations independently discovering the wheel at later points in human history. The earliest wheels were made by inserting rotating axles into perfectly smooth, solid wooden discs. Interestingly, wheel invention in other cultures often aligned with the domestication of horses in their respective regions. READ MORE: The Cradle of Civilization: Mesopotamia and the First Civilizations Did Sumerians Invent the Wheel? Yes, Sumerians did invent the wheel. Well, in a way. The earliest evidence of the first wheels comes from ancient Sumer. Thus, it is safe to say that the ancient Sumerians of Mesopotamia “invented the wheel.” We must reiterate that other civilizations of the ancient world separately developed the wheel, such as those in China, the Indus Valley, and Egypt. While methods of wheel construction, style, and technique were spread through avenues like trade and commerce, no one could take claim of the wheel. As far as we know, Sumerians invented the wheel because theirs is the earliest archaeological evidence found thus far in the modern age. READ MORE: Ancient Chinese Inventions What Was the Wheel Used for in Mesopotamia? The earliest wheels used in Mesopotamia were potter’s wheels, which were used to more efficiently shape clay. To effectively use a potter’s wheel, the potter would require a more elastic clay, which was plentiful throughout regions of Mesopotamia at the time.

Humans invented the wheel over 5,000 years ago, but where it first originated is a mystery. The first wheeled carts revolutionized society. But we may never know who actually invented the wheel. (Credit: Michal Stipek/Shutterstock) Imagine liking your car so much you put its picture on a coffee cup. Or — to kick the gesture up several notches — how about being buried with your ride when you die? Not many of us would decorate a mug with our wheels, let alone take them to the grave. But about 5,000 years ago, Bronze Age people did both, and those acts created some of the oldest surviving evidence for wheeled vehicles. Thanks to these finds and others, scholars agree that the wheel was invented somewhere in Eurasia or the Middle East between 3000 and 3400 B.C. Once developed, the technology spread quickly, transforming society as it went. Carts and wagons eased the burden of daily tasks like hauling water, timber and food. They also allowed people to travel over land with relative ease, turning the continental plains into a throughway for trade, migration and cultural connections. But while scholars can track these consequences of wheel technology, the precise origins of the pivotal innovation remain a mystery. The wheel is the poster child for ancient ingenuity. Although reinventing the wheel is cliché, it is true that objects on rolling cylinders were invented more than once by different cultures. Ancient peoples in the Americas and Eurasia both crafted palm-sized clay figurines on wheels, which were probably toys or ritual items. But when it comes to wheeled vehicles capable of transporting humans and supplies, the earliest evidence comes from Eurasia and the Middle East, roughly 5,400 years ago. By then, people in those regions had built cities and massive monuments; they mastered metallurgy and intensive agriculture. They also hauled loads using sleds, sledges and other such devices dragged on runners or rollers. It didn’t take a genius to realize that adding rotating cylinders to a sled would improve transport over dry land.

Around 3500 BC, a brilliant idea struck one of the wise Homo sapiens living in Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq). They cut a disc from the trunk of a tree and made a hole in its center. The end product was the wheel. The invention of the wheel is often considered a hallmark of human innovation, and it has proved to be one of humanity’s greatest blessings. The concept of the world as a global village has become a reality because of the wheel, as it allows us to cover long distances quickly. However, have you ever wondered how this innovative creation came into existence? Recommended Video for you: Invention Of Wheel: How Was The Wheel Invented? When you carefully peruse mankind’s history, you’ll notice that most inventions were inspired by the natural world. For example, the idea for the pitchfork came from forked sticks in the wild. Similarly, gliding birds served as the muse for the invention of the airplane. Tumbleweed – a wheeled organism. (Photo Credit: Edmond Meinfelder/Wikimedia Commons) One of the reasons it took a long time for man to invent the wheel is that there was no organic example of the wheel in nature. However, the work of naturalists like Michael La-Barbera from the University of Chicago suggests that bacterial flagella, tumbleweeds, and dung beetles do come close. Some biologists call these “wheeled organisms,” but that’s a very loose term, as they roll as a form of locomotion but are not perfectly spherical or circular. Before the wheel’s invention, people carried heavy loads themselves. Later, they began using animals like oxen, horses, donkeys, and camels to carry loads. Gradually, people started dragging wood planks with the help of animals to carry loads. Around 3500 BC, an idea struck one of the wise Homo sapiens in Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq). He cut a disc from a tree trunk and made a hole in the center, creating the wheel – arguably the greatest invention in human history. However, the wheel he invented was initially used for pottery, not for transportation. After a brief stint of using the wheel for pottery, someone used two wheels to form a cart. He made this from the trunk of a tree, which was joined by an axle that was fastened to a platform of wood. This was the first crude cart in the world.

Nevertheless, the wheel (specifically as a means of transportation) was actually invented at a relatively late point of human history. The oldest known wheel found in an archaeological excavation is from Mesopotamia, and dates to around 3500 BC. This period was known as the Bronze Age, which is a relatively late chapter in the story of the development of human civilization. By this time, human beings were already planting crops, herding domesticated animals, and had some form of social hierarchy. A depiction of an onager-drawn cart on the Sumerian "battle standard of Ur". (Public Domain) One of the reasons why the wheel was invented only at this point in history is due to the fact that metal tools were needed to chisel fine-fitted holes and axles. This leads to the next reason – the wheel was not just a cylinder rolling on its edge. It was a cylinder that was connected to a stable, stationary platform. This wheel-axle concept was a stroke of genius, but making it was a challenge. The ends of the axle, as well as the holes in the center of the wheels had to be nearly perfectly smooth and round. Failing to achieve this would result in too much friction between these components, and the wheel would not turn. Although the axle had to fit snugly in the holes of the wheels, they had to have enough room to allow them to rotate freely. In our Ancient Origins article, we illustrate how the Iron Age chariot axle represents a rare instance of ancient technology. The wheel was invented in the 4th millennium BC in Lower Mesopotamia (modern-​​day Iraq), where the Sumerian people inserted rotating axles into solid discs of wood. It was only in 2000 BC that the discs began to be hollowed out to make a lighter wheel. This innovation led to major advances in two main areas. Why is the wheel the greatest invention? The wheel is often considered one of the greatest inventions in human history for several reasons. Firstly, it revolutionized transportation, enabling faster and more efficient movement of people and goods over long distances. Secondly, it facilitated the development of complex societies by enhancing trade and communication networks. Lastly, its adaptability across various applications, from pottery-making to industrial machinery, demonstrates its enduring significance in shaping technological progress and human civilization.

A multidisciplinary team of researchers used structural mechanics and computational design to understand how the wheel was invented. Some historians believe the wheel is the most significant invention ever created. Historians and archeologists have artifacts from the wheel’s history that go back thousands of years, but knowing that the wheel first originated back in 3900 B.C. doesn’t tell the entire story of this essential technology’s development. A recent study by Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering Associate Professor Kai James, Lee Alacoque, and Richard Bulliet analyzes the wheels’ invention and its evolution. Their analysis supports a new theory that copper miners from the Carpathian Mountains in southeastern Europe may have invented the wheel. However, the study also recognizes that the wheel’s evolution occurred incrementally over time — and likely through considerable trial and error. The findings suggest that the original developers of the wheel benefited from uniquely favorable environmental conditions that augmented their human ingenuity. The study, published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, has gained the worldwide attention of experts and more than 58 media outlets, including Popular Mechanics, Interesting Engineering, and National Geographic en Español. “The way technology evolves is very complex. It's never as simple as somebody having an epiphany, going to their lab, drawing up a perfect prototype, and manufacturing it — and then end of story,” said James. “The evidence, even before our theory, suggests that the wheel evolved over centuries, across a very broad geographical range, with contributions from many different people, and that's true of all engineering systems. Understanding this complexity and seeing the process as a journey, rather than a moment in time, is one of the main outcomes of our study.”

It's possible that the wheel was invented by copper miners in the Carpathian Mountains up to 6,000 years ago, according to a modeling study that uses techniques from structural mechanics. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. A detail on the Standard of Ur, a decorative Sumarian artifact from the third millennium B.C. that includes a cart with wheels. Now, a new study takes a new look at where the wheel was invented.(Image credit: Universal History Archive via Getty Images) Even though the invention of the wheel around 6,000 years ago revolutionized everything from transportation to pottery making, its exact origins are still a mystery to archaeologists. But a new study using techniques from structural mechanics suggests that Eastern European copper miners may have been the driving force behind three major innovations in wheel technology as early as 3900 B.C. Archaeological evidence of wheels and wheeled vehicles abounds in the Copper Age (around 5000 to 3000 B.C.) across Europe, Asia and Northern Africa, including battle scenes painted on walls, miniature wheels, children's toys, wagon burials and even early textual references to the technology. Because the wheel was adopted so quickly, though, it is unclear exactly where and when it was first invented — or if it was invented independently in different times and places. There are three main theories for the wheel's origin. One suggests that it first appeared in Mesopotamia around 4000 B.C. and then spread to Europe. Another theory suggests it was developed around the Pontic coast of northern Turkey around 3800 B.C. The third major theory argues that the wheel was invented in the Carpathian Mountains between 4000 and 3500 B.C., and spread in various directions from there. This third theory, put forward in 2016 by historian Richard Bulliet, a professor emeritus at Columbia University and a co-author of the new study, rests on the idea that, around 4000 B.C., much-sought-after copper ore had become harder to find, requiring miners to travel deep into mines and lug containers of ore back out. Late Copper Age wagon models that have been found in the Carpathian region are rectangular with trapezoidal sides — similar to mining cars today, Bulliet wrote in the book " The Wheel: Inventions and Reinventions " (Columbia University Press, 2016).

Evidence indicates the wheel was created to serve as potter's wheels around 3500 B.C. in Mesopotamia—300 years before they were used for chariots. Jim Vecchi / Corbis It’s fair to say that when an advertisement describes a septic tank as “the best invention since the wheel,” we’ve begun to take our round, load-bearing companion for granted. In light of Smithsonian’s special July coverage of the frontiers of innovation, we thought this would be an appropriate time to pay tribute to one of the origins of innovation by sharing some intriguing, little-known facts about the wheel. No wheels exist in nature. Throughout history, most inventions were inspired by the natural world. The idea for the pitchfork and table fork came from forked sticks; the airplane from gliding birds. But the wheel is one hundred percent homo sapien innovation. As Michael LaBarbera—a professor of biology and anatomy at the University of Chicago—wrote in a 1983 issue of The American Naturalist, only bacterial flagella, dung beetles and tumbleweeds come close. And even they are “wheeled organisms” in the loosest use of the term, since they use rolling as a form of locomotion. The wheel was a relative latecomer. We tend to think that inventing the wheel was item number two on our to-do list after learning to walk upright. But several significant inventions predated the wheel by thousands of years: sewing needles, woven cloth, rope, basket weaving, boats and even the flute. The first wheels were not used for transportation. Evidence indicates they were created to serve as potter’s wheels around 3500 B.C. in Mesopotamia—300 years before someone figured out to use them for chariots. The ancient Greeks invented Western philosophy…and the wheelbarrow. Researchers believe that the wheelbarrow first appeared in classical Greece, sometime between the sixth and fourth centuries B.C., then sprung up in China four centuries later and ended up in medieval Europe, perhaps by way of Byzantium or the Islamic world. Although wheelbarrows were expensive to purchase, they could pay for themselves in just 3 or 4 days in terms of labor savings. Art historian Andrea Matthies has found comical illustrations, one from the 15th century, showing members of the upper classes being pushed to hell in a wheelbarrow—quite possibly the origin for the expression “to hell in a handbasket.” Wheel of Fortune: More than just a game show. The Wheel of Fortune, or Rota Fortunae, is much older than Pat Sajak. In fact, the wheel, which the goddess Fortuna spins to determine the fate of those she looks upon, is an ancient concept of either Greek or Roman origin, depending on which academic you talk to. Roman scholar Cicero and the Greek poet Pindar both reference the Wheel of Fortune. In The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer uses the Wheel of Fortune to describe the tragic fall of several historical figures in his Monk’s Tale. And William Shakespeare alludes to it in a few of his plays. “Fortune, good night, smile once more; turn thy wheel!” says a disguised Earl of Kent in King Lear. Camels 1; Wheel 0

The oldest wheel found in archeological excavations was discovered in what was Mesopotamia and is believed to be more than 5,500 years old. It wasn't used for transportation, but rather as a potter's wheel. The wheel, in combination with the axle, made possible early forms of transportation, which became more sophisticated over time with the development of other technologies. Unlike other early human inventions like the pitchfork—which was inspired by forked sticks—the wheel is unique because it's not based on anything in nature. Below is a brief timeline for the invention of the wheel and a history of the wheel's many uses. • The earliest wheels were used as potter's wheels. They were invented in Mesopotamia about 5,500 years ago. • The wheelbarrow—a simple cart with a single wheel—was invented by the ancient Greeks. • Though wheels are mainly used for transportation, they're also used to navigate, spin thread, and generate wind and hydroelectric power. When Was the Wheel Invented? Though often thought of as one of the earliest inventions, the wheel arrived after the invention of agriculture, boats, woven cloth, and pottery. It was invented sometime around 3,500 BC. During the transition between the Neolithic and the Bronze Age, wheels were made of wood, with a hole in the core for the axle. The wheel is not like the telephone or the lightbulb, a breakthrough invention that can be credited to a single (or even several) inventors. There is archaeological evidence of wheels dating back to at least 5,500 years ago, but no one knows exactly who invented them. Wheeled vehicles appeared later in various areas across the Middle East and Eastern Europe. The invention of the wheelbarrow—a one-wheeled cart used to transport goods and raw materials—is usually credited to the ancient Greeks. However, earlier evidence of wheeled carts has been found in Europe and China. The Bronocice pot is the earliest depiction of a wheel and axle. The wheel alone, without any further innovation, would not have done much for mankind. Rather, it was the combination of the wheel and axle that made early forms of transportation possible, including carts and chariots. The Bronocice pot, a piece of pottery discovered in Poland and dating to at least 3370 BC, is believed to feature the earliest depiction of a wheeled vehicle. The evidence suggests that small wagons or carts, likely drawn by cattle, were in use in Central Europe by this time in human history. Archaeologists believe the first wheel—a potter's wheel—was invented in Mesopotamia around 3,500 BC. Learn the history and development of the wheel.

The wheel and axle is among the most important invention in human history. It transformed our ability to carry heavy loads, allowing for the large-scale transportation of goods from farmlands to cities. It directly supported the rise of urban centers, and through them the birth of civilization. Traditionally it has been thought that the wheel was invented in the Bronze Age, emerging through a slow development process across the ancient world from India to Mesopotamia to China. But a new study by Talia Yashuv and Leore Grosman of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem suggests that the wheel, or at least the concept may be far older. The study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, focuses on the ancient Natufian culture and a particular village named Nahal Ein-Gev II near the Sea of Galilee. Found amidst the ruins are a surprising number of rounded pebbles, each with a hole through the middle and each clearly fashioned by humans. Granted, these are not wheels for carts or chariots: they are far too small. But in concept they are the same, and this therefore appears to be early evidence of a wheel designed to use an axel. The thing is, the Natufians are not Bronze Age but a much earlier culture dating to between 15,000 and 11,500 years ago in the Late Epipaleolithic. These are Stone Age wheels dated to around 10,000 BC, some 7,000 years earlier than had been previously thought. Chernobog and Belobog, the Slavic Gods who Don’t Exist? The study theorizes that the pebbles may have been used as spindles whorls for spinning yarn. A spindle whorl acts as a weight fitted to a spindle which acts as a basic flywheel, its weight and momentum keeping the spindle spinning as the yarn is wound about it.