Ancient Mesoamerican civilizations understood the wheel but used it only for toys, never for transportation.

Archaeological excavations in the mid-20th century, notably those led by Matthew Stirling in the 1940s at Tres Zapotes, uncovered small ceramic figurines of dogs and jaguars equipped with axles and wheels. These artifacts date to the Classic Maya period, approximately 250 to 900 AD, and have been discovered across modern-day Mexico and El Salvador. Their presence confirms that Mesoamerican engineers fully understood rotational mechanics and the principle of the wheel.Despite this knowledge, the absence of wheeled transportation was primarily due to environmental and biological constraints. Unlike Eurasia, the Americas lacked large domesticable mammals such as horses, cattle, or donkeys—these species went extinct at the end of the Pleistocene epoch, roughly 10,000 years ago. Without draft animals to provide the necessary power, the energy required to pull a wheeled cart over rugged terrain often exceeded what human porters could achieve by carrying loads on their backs.Geography was equally decisive. The heartlands of the Maya and Aztec civilizations consisted of steep volcanic highlands and swampy tropical lowlands where wheels would frequently sink or become stuck. Rather than investing in paved roads for carts, these civilizations developed extensive maritime trade networks and sophisticated footpath systems. The wheel remained a plaything and curiosity until Spanish conquistadors introduced Old World livestock in the 16th century.