It would seem so simple achievement - the invention of the wheel, and yet it is great.First oldest wheel found in Mesopotamia, Hungary, Central Asia and in the steppes of the Don and the Dnieper.
history of the wheel: the beginning
very curious that the wheel was not invented when people still wandered.When the nomadic lifestyle they were all his belongings for yourself.The wheel was invented, when they were settled in a certain place.Sedentary people started breeding farm: to sow the fields, bred livestock, build small and then large settlements and cities.
began to develop trade in grain, stone, wood and so forth. And this is a huge distance that must be overcome with a large and heavy load.Here and there was this simple idea.
How in antiquity, this idea came to mind?History of the wheel is quite interesting.
People are constantly working with carved and felled logs and found that they can roll a little prodding.
idea of creating leverage
And while the Cro-Magnons also invented the lever.From that moment began the story of the invention of the wheel.
How did this happen?Through clicking on a stick planted under a log, it was rolling.After pressing it rolled further.Then we began to use more of these levers through which it was possible to move multiple logs.
Then came a great idea - to put on rolling logs diagonally another timber, and it is rolled together with them.
Thus came another idea that had transported the logs themselves can be as a "transport" if still put across the top of the log.In ancient Egypt, so we moved the incredible value of the stone statues.Provenance wheel continues to grow curious fact.
further improvement technique of movement of goods
That method with levers was not very convenient: neighbors to leverage the log periodically released from under the load, and they always had with his hands to carry forward and put next to the still under the upper logs.There is a need to fix them.
The result was something like similarity carts.She was rude and unsightly.But I put it on top of the cargo moved.It remained only to press hard on the levers.On a more perfect drove the cart and other cargo: sacks of seeds, stones, etc.
This structure could just roll on a flat surface.Any obstacle in the form of a stone on the road could easily destroy this structure.And then there was the idea to consolidate logs together (10 pieces), attach the bottom has two pairs of smoothly hewn logs, and between the more and the third - a smooth, large diameter and free.
So a wagon rather rink.He moved very well and did not have to push his arms, it was enough to force the hands.This was the prototype of the wheel.
wheel of history is quite long.Before the invention of the wheel to solve many problems of the intermediate.
Improving transportation for cargo
first removed from the cart, both pairs of logs, leaving only two rollers.They are then secured to the cart copper staples, but so that they rotate.There was a major drawback: different thickness at different edges of the beam led to the turning of the wagon to the side.
then drew attention to the fact that that carriage under which the ice rink was thinner in the center than at the edges, move evenly.This wagon and puts aside less.Then, the inventor of the roller has left only two rollers on the sides of the entire log, and between them - a thin pole.Then, separating the rolls from the pole, I got the wheel.
History of the wheel as we have finished the technical facilities for the movement of goods and the drag began almost from that moment.
first wheel was very heavy.Even he was found with whole wagon wheels carved from the trunk of a big tree (an ancient Indian city of Mohenjo-Daro).
soon began to use the carts for animals in harness.This moment was a decisive turning point in the history and development and improvement of transport.Nourished various interesting transformations of the story of the wheel.Carts also undergo significant changes.
Modifications carts
In ancient times there were two kinds of products: the circle and pottery wheel for a cart.The first - the ancestor of pulleys, gears clock mechanism, water wheels, and others.
very first carts were simple sleigh set on wheels.The latter, in turn, were bonded axes.The wheels and axle itself constituted a single entity.However, when the cart turned with such wheels, rode outside much longer than the internal.In this connection, the wheel always slid or skidded.
Later came the design, move freely because the axis fastened to the crew.It allowed to go faster and turn easier.
The earliest were peasant carts, hearses royal sacred carts gods and war chariots.
first carts were two, and four.However, the latter were impractical.Why is that?The rear and front axle attached to the body.This crew could not make sharp turns.
2,000 years ago was invented movable front axle, which allows the crew to turn in any direction.
Already in the second millennium BC.e.in Southwest Asia invented the spoked wheels.
Ancient wheel image
first ancient rock drawings (3000 years BC. E.) Sled with wheels found in Sumerian Lesson province.
image of the wheels on the East merged with the image of the Sun and the authorities.In various mythologies of many countries began to be referred to the images of the wheel.Wheel associated with the Sun as follows: Sun - sublime and round the wheel - the same round, yet it allows a person to move quickly.All this - the advantage and domination.
There have been rumors that the first old wheel is still not appeared in Mesopotamia and Turkey to the east, and probably in northern Iran.Then they appeared in the northern regions.
Types ancient wheels
Already in the 3rd millennium BCleather wrapped around the wheel, and in the 2nd millennium in the wheel nailed nails sticking out the edge.This was done in order to increase their adhesion to the surface.Moreover, they may be continuous, but not of the whole trunk and put together and composed of three parts.
By the time the horses were domesticated, and there were carts, which were divided into chariots (fast), and the crews for the king.There were carts specifically for the economy (ox).
history wheels, seemingly such a simple subject, shows that every people to make some useful changes in its design, making it improved quickly.
So carriage swept eastward to China (the era of the kingdom of Yin).As early as 2000 BC.e.spoked wheel was and the rim.
Wheel in Europe
further history of the wheel and its development is associated exclusively with the Celtic tribes.They began to "shoe" metal wheel rim (1500 BC. E.), And only a couple of centuries (in the time of the Trojan War) wheels are almost entirely made of metal.
On these and fought Homeric heroes.About these chariots admiringly wrote biblical prophet Nahum.They are very broken way, so 50 BC.e.It was created and adopted the very first law that limits the load on each wheel up to 250 kg.
Over 3,000 years old wheel changed the lives of almost all of Europe.But to Africa (the territory south of the Sahara), Asia (Southeast) and Australia have not reached.
true story of the wheel is not fully understood.There are such a hypothesis creating the wheel.Pots people fashioned (though crooked) even earlier - 6000 BC.e.But with the advent of the potter's wheel and the type of dishes is much improved.A range of pottery - and there is a wheel, just put to one side.So, who borrowed the idea?Maybe, after all, the driver at the potter?
