The wheel was invented for pottery, not transportation—ancient Mesopotamians used it as a spinning turntable to shape clay around 3500 BCE.

Archaeological evidence shows that the earliest wheels were potter's wheels used in Mesopotamia, modern-day Iraq, during the Uruk period around 3500 BCE. These early devices were horizontal stone or wooden disks that allowed craftsmen to rotate clay while shaping it—a major innovation that significantly increased the speed and quality of ceramic production compared to hand-building techniques.The shift from a horizontal pottery tool to a vertical transportation device did not happen immediately. It took approximately 300 to 500 years for the first wheeled vehicles to appear in the archaeological record around 3200 BCE. These early wagons and chariots featured solid wooden wheels made from three planks held together by transverse struts.The delay in applying wheels to transport was likely due to the complexity of the axle. Creating a fixed axle with wheels that could rotate freely required precise carpentry and lubrication to reduce friction. Early examples of these vehicles appear on the Bronocice pot from Poland and in various Sumerian sites, demonstrating how rapidly the technology spread across Eurasia once perfected.Before the wheel, heavy goods were moved using sledges or rollers, which required enormous manpower and smooth terrain. The invention of the axle-and-wheel system allowed for transporting much heavier loads over longer distances. This breakthrough fundamentally transformed trade, warfare, and agriculture, eventually enabling the complex machinery of the Industrial Revolution.