STEM Marvels: Wheels

byAmrita Ganeriwalla

The oldest wheel found in archaeological excavations is about 5,500 years old and dates from the Mesopotamian civilisation. The Sumerian people inserted axles into solid discs of wood. In 2000 BC, they improved the discs by hollowing them out, which made the wheels lighter. They used these as potter’s wheels. The combination of the wheel and axle also led to advancements in transport and in the mechanisation of agriculture.

History of the WheelThe wheel was invented sometime around 3,500 BC, between the Neolithic and the Bronze Ages. Older wheels were made of wood. Vehicles made using wheels have been excavated across the Middle East and Eastern Europe. The ancient Greeks are credited with the invention of the wheelbar