Changes

==Etymology==

==Etymology==

[https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=English#ca._1100-1500_.09THE_MIDDLE_ENGLISH_PERIOD Middle English], from [https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=English#ca._600-1100.09THE_OLD_ENGLISH.2C_OR_ANGLO-SAXON_PERIOD Old English] hweogol, hwēol;  akin to Old Norse hvēl wheel, [[Greek]] kyklos [[circle]], wheel, [[Sanskrit]] cakra, [[Latin]] colere to cultivate, inhabit, [[Sanskrit]] carati he moves, wanders

[https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=English#ca._1100-1500_.09THE_MIDDLE_ENGLISH_PERIOD Middle English], from [https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=English#ca._600-1100.09THE_OLD_ENGLISH.2C_OR_ANGLO-SAXON_PERIOD Old English] hweogol, hwēol;  akin to Old Norse hvēl wheel, [[Greek]] kyklos [[circle]], wheel, [[Sanskrit]] cakra, [[Latin]] colere to cultivate, inhabit, [[Sanskrit]] carati he moves, wanders

*Date: before [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/12th_Century 12th century]

*Date: before [https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/12th_Century 12th century]

==Definitions==

==Definitions==

*1 : a [[circular]] frame of hard [[material]] that may be [[solid]], partly solid, or spoked and that is capable of turning on an axle

*1 : a [[circular]] frame of hard [[material]] that may be [[solid]], partly solid, or spoked and that is capable of turning on an axle

A '''wheel''' is a circular device that is capable of [[rotating]] on an axle through its [[center]], facilitating [[movement]] or [[transportation]] while supporting a load ([[mass]]), or [[performing]] labour in [[machines]]. Common examples are found in transport [[applications]]. A wheel, together with an axle  overcomes [[friction]]  by facilitating [[motion]] by rolling. In order for wheels to [[rotate]], a [[moment]] needs to be applied to the wheel about its [[axis]], either by way of [[gravity]], or by [[application]] of another external [[force]]. More generally the term is also used for other circular objects that rotate or turn, such as a ship's wheel, steering wheel and flywheel.

A '''wheel''' is a circular device that is capable of [[rotating]] on an axle through its [[center]], facilitating [[movement]] or [[transportation]] while supporting a load ([[mass]]), or [[performing]] labour in [[machines]]. Common examples are found in transport [[applications]]. A wheel, together with an axle  overcomes [[friction]]  by facilitating [[motion]] by rolling. In order for wheels to [[rotate]], a [[moment]] needs to be applied to the wheel about its [[axis]], either by way of [[gravity]], or by [[application]] of another external [[force]]. More generally the term is also used for other circular objects that rotate or turn, such as a ship's wheel, steering wheel and flywheel.

==History==

==History==

[[Evidence]] of wheeled vehicles appears from the mid [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4th_millennium_BC 4th millennium BCE], near-[[simultaneously]] in Mesopotamia, the Northern Caucasus ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maykop_culture Maykop] culture) and Central Europe, and so the question of which [[culture]] originally [[invented]] the wheeled vehicle remains unresolved and under [[debate]]. The earliest well-dated depiction of a wheeled vehicle (here a wagon—four wheels, two axles), is on the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronocice_pot Bronocice pot], a ca. 3500–3350 BCE clay pot excavated in a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funnelbeaker_culture Funnelbeaker culture] settlement in southern Poland.

[[Evidence]] of wheeled vehicles appears from the mid [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4th_millennium_BC 4th millennium BCE], near-[[simultaneously]] in Mesopotamia, the Northern Caucasus ([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maykop_culture Maykop] culture) and Central Europe, and so the question of which [[culture]] originally [[invented]] the wheeled vehicle remains unresolved and under [[debate]]. The earliest well-dated depiction of a wheeled vehicle (here a wagon—four wheels, two axles), is on the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronocice_pot Bronocice pot], a ca. 3500–3350 BCE clay pot excavated in a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funnelbeaker_culture Funnelbeaker culture] settlement in southern Poland.

The wheeled vehicle from the area of its first occurrence (Mesopotamia, Caucasus, Balkans, Central Europe) spread across Eurasia, reaching the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indus_Valley_Civilization Indus Valley] by the 3rd millennium BCE. During the 2nd millennium BCE, the spoke-wheeled chariot spread at an increased pace, reaching both China and Scandinavia by 1200 BCE. In China, the wheel was certainly present with the adoption of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chariot chariot] in ca. 1200 BCE,[6] although Barbieri-Low argues for earlier Chinese wheeled vehicles, circa 2000 BCE.

The wheeled vehicle from the area of its first occurrence (Mesopotamia, Caucasus, Balkans, Central Europe) spread across Eurasia, reaching the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indus_Valley_Civilization Indus Valley] by the 3rd millennium BCE. During the 2nd millennium BCE, the spoke-wheeled chariot spread at an increased pace, reaching both China and Scandinavia by 1200 BCE. In China, the wheel was certainly present with the adoption of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chariot chariot] in ca. 1200 BCE,[6] although Barbieri-Low argues for earlier Chinese wheeled vehicles, circa 2000 BCE.

Although they did not develop the wheel proper, the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olmec Olmec] and certain other [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_hemisphere western hemisphere] cultures seem to have approached it, as wheel-like worked stones have been found on objects identified as children's toys dating to about 1500 BCE.[8] Early antiquity [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nubia Nubians] used wheels for spinning pottery and waterwheels. It is thought that Nubian waterwheels may have been ox-driven[11] It is also known that Nubians used horse-driven chariots imported from Egypt.

Although they did not develop the wheel proper, the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olmec Olmec] and certain other [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_hemisphere western hemisphere] cultures seem to have approached it, as wheel-like worked stones have been found on objects identified as children's toys dating to about 1500 BCE.[8] Early antiquity [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nubia Nubians] used wheels for spinning pottery and waterwheels. It is thought that Nubian waterwheels may have been ox-driven[11] It is also known that Nubians used horse-driven chariots imported from Egypt.

The [[invention]] of the wheel thus falls in the late [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neolithic Neolithic], and may be seen in conjunction with the other [[technological]] advances that gave rise to the early [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronze_Age Bronze Age]. Note that this implies the passage of several wheel-less millennia even after the [[invention]] of [[agriculture]] and of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pottery pottery].[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheel]

The [[invention]] of the wheel thus falls in the late [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neolithic Neolithic], and may be seen in conjunction with the other [[technological]] advances that gave rise to the early [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronze_Age Bronze Age]. Note that this implies the passage of several wheel-less millennia even after the [[invention]] of [[agriculture]] and of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pottery pottery].[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheel]

[[Category: The Sciences]]

[[Category: The Sciences]]

[[Category: History]]

[[Category: History]]

[[Category: Archaeology]]

[[Category: Archaeology]]