12,000-year-old stones may be oldest example of wheel-like tech

By Dean Murray

Some 12,000-year-old stones have been discovered, which may be the oldest example of wheel-like tools.

The spindle whorls would feature in a wheel and axle arrangement to allow the spinning of fibers into yarn.

Researchers from Hebrew University said: "This early use paved the way for future wheel-based rotational innovations, key advancements that revolutionized human technological history such as the potter’s wheel and the cartwheel that appears 6,000 years ago."

A study, recently published in PLOS ONE, was led by Talia Yashuv and Professor Leore Grosman from the Computational Archaeology Laboratory at the university's Institute of Archaeology.

Professor Grosman said: “These Natufian perforated stones are actually the first wheels in form and function — a round object with a hole in the center connected to a rotating axle, used long before the appearance of the wheel for transportation purposes”.

The discovery, recovered from the Nahal-Ein Gev II dig site in northern Israel, marks the earliest known evidence of this fast-spinning technology in the Levant, predating previously known textile tools by 4,000 years and highlighting an important stage in human innovation.

The authors add: "This study not only expands our understanding of technological innovation but also showcases how advanced research tools reveal insights into prehistoric craftsmanship, underscoring humanity’s enduring drive for innovation."