What was the wheel's likely earliest mechanical application around 3500 BCE?
Answer
As a potter's wheel
While the wheel eventually became synonymous with revolutionizing transport, trade, warfare, and construction across vast distances, its initial application was likely much more localized and related to manufacturing efficiency. Evidence suggests that the earliest use of the wheel, around 3500 BCE, was adapted for use as a potter's wheel. This demonstrates an early mastery of physics applied to craft production before its application expanded dramatically into overcoming constraints related to mobility and labor over geography.
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