THE RECORD
What changed
Images, models and surviving parts of wheeled transport appear in several regions of Europe and Southwest Asia in the late fourth millennium BCE.
EVIDENCE
What remains
Pottery images, clay vehicle models, trackways and preserved wooden wheels show a rapid spread of related technology.
WHY IT MATTERS
Why it matters
Moving heavy loads over greater distances changed agriculture, exchange, warfare and connections among settlements.
OPEN QUESTION
Where interpretation begins
No single birthplace is secure; independent invention and rapid transmission over a short interval are both discussed.