Invention of the Wheel

3500 BCE · cultural

The wheel emerged around approximately 3500 BCE in Mesopotamia/the Carpathian Basin, first as the potter's wheel and then as the axled vehicle wheel.

It radically transformed production and transportation through freight transport, war chariots, and wheel technology. Although it appears simple, since it required the axle-hub solution, its independent invention is rare; for example, it was not used in vehicles in pre-Columbian America.

Related civilizations

Frequently asked questions

What was Invention of the Wheel?
The wheel emerged around approximately 3500 BCE in Mesopotamia/the Carpathian Basin, first as the potter's wheel and then as the axled vehicle wheel.
When did Invention of the Wheel happen?
3500 BCE