Who Found The Wheel? A Long History Of Findings That Changed The World

YOGYAKARTA - The discovery of wheels has changed the face of human civilization. The phrase Roda makes the world rotate' may be able to describe its great role in the development of human civilization. Its presence has changed the way people move, transport goods, and even build civilization. However, who actually found the wheel?

The answer is not as simple as mentioning one name or one nation. The presence of the wheels we know today is the result of a long process of human technological evolution that occurred thousands of years ago, especially during prehistoric times.

The discovery of the wheels is estimated to have occurred around 3,500 BC, in the Mesopotamia region, which is now part of modern Iraq. Evidence of the first archaeological wheel was found in the form of a wheelcarf on artifacts from Sumerian culture. However, the wheels found at that time were not the wheels we know today. The initial wheels were made of three wooden boards that were put together, in the shape of a sheaf but still very rough and heavy.

The first wheel is not used for transportation. According to archaeologists, the wheels were originally developed as a tool for making pottery, known as wheel-turning or potter's wheel around 4,000 BC. Only a few centuries later, the principle of wheel rotation began to be applied in the manufacture of vehicles such as carts.

Unlike modern discoveries commonly associated with the names of their inventors, such as Thomas Edison with a lampball or Alexander Graham Bell by phone, the wheels are the result of gradual evolving collective innovation. As it occurred in the pre-writing of history, there was no definite record of who the wheel inventors were. This discovery could be considered the fruit of indirect collaborations between human communities spread across various regions.

Mesopotamia was indeed the earliest evidence of the wheel, but some other evidence suggests that civilizations in Central Europe and Asia are also developing wheels independently at almost the same time.

The starting wheels are still very primitive. The next important development is the addition of axes (axle) and fingers (spokes) that make wheels lighter and more efficient. The wheel of radius is estimated to be used around 2,000 BC by the Ancient Indo-European and Egyptian nations. This type of wheel allows the creation of light and fast warships, which are important tools in warfare and transportation.

Then, the wheels continue to evolve. Metal wheels, rubber-coated wheels, to wheels with suspension and brake systems are innovations that arise along with technological and scientific developments. Even today, wheels are used not only for vehicles, but also in machines, robotics, clocks, and various other devices.

The use of wheels allows humans to create efficient means of transportation. From carts to cars and planes, wheels become an integral part of the transportation system. In addition, wheels also play an important role in the industrial sector through their use in production machines.

Without wheels, the industrial revolution will probably never happen. In fact, most of the modern technology we enjoy today, from motorcycles, cars, trains, to robots, depends heavily on the principle of working wheels.

Although there is no single person who can be called the inventor of wheels, the contribution of various ancient civilizations in developing wheels is worthy of appreciation. The wheels are a real example of how simple innovation can be the foundation for the advancement of human civilization. From Mesopotamia to modern times, wheels have proven themselves to be one of the most important discoveries in history.