A team of researchers, led by historian Richard Bulliet from Columbia University, has proposed a new theory about how the wheel was invented. They worked alongside engineers Lee Alacoque from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Kai James from Georgia Institute of Technology to figure out the origin of the wheel.
Their research suggests that ancient copper miners in the Carpathian Mountains were the first to create wheeled devices. These early wheels were likely used to transport ore. This theory offers a fresh perspective on the history of the wheel. It challenges earlier ideas that connected the invention of the wheel to the potter’s wheel in Mesopotamia around 4000 BCE.
Bulliet and his team studied how miners might have improved simple tools to create the first wheels. They looked at how logs without branches, used as rollers, could evolve into wheel-and-axle systems. This transformation was important for navigating narrow tunnels in mines.
The researchers found that the mining environment played a key role in this development. The tight and winding paths inside the mines pushed the miners to innovate. Over time, they moved from using basic rollers to creating a more advanced and flexible wheel-and-axle system.
Three critical stages in the evolution of the wheel
In their study, the researchers outlined three important stages in the evolution of the wheel.
First, they discovered that the rollers were modified with grooves. These grooves helped keep boxes filled with ore from slipping off. This change made it easier for workers because they didn’t have to keep adjusting the rollers as they transported materials.
The second step involved making the ends of these grooved rollers wider. This change allowed for the creation of a simple axle. This axle could hold either one or two wheels, marking a significant advancement in the design.
Over centuries, miners sought to refine their carts, ultimately attaching wheels independently to axles. This advancement significantly boosted maneuverability, making it easier to navigate the rugged terrain of mining sites.
Researchers suggest that this evolution of design took place gradually, spanning approximately 500 years, reflecting a remarkable progression in early engineering that laid the groundwork for more sophisticated transport technologies.
oldest existing wheel, Ljubljana Marshes Wheel, roughly 5100-5300 years old, from modern day Slovenia.
It certainly isn’t the first wheel, there are depictions of wheels much older. pic.twitter.com/96s0RtKex6
— Moctezuma III (@Moctezuma_III) October 29, 2024
The study shows that the development of the wheel was a gradual process. This view highlights how technology evolves through experimentation, adaptation, and the influence of the environment. It contrasts with the common idea that inventions happen suddenly.
Bulliet and his team emphasize that environmental factors were crucial in creating wheeled technology. They explain that each step in this evolution helped solve practical problems faced by miners. These included reducing friction and moving heavy loads more efficiently in tight spaces.
