[Pontiac]

As someone pointed out the other day, there was a dearth of beasts of burden (other than other humans); also, it may just be an old saw from some old carpenter that the wheel was unknown for such use.

My limited read of the history of the wheel is that it was first used as a weapon of war. Why would it be different than any other first use of technology.

My observation is that the wheel was first introduced in the use of war chariots.

In my thoughts it is an obvious first use. In chariots the loads are relatively small; two men and their weapons.

Horses also were mostly used as weapons because you had to rich to afford to keep horses.

Put the horse and the chariot together and you have a formidable weapon.

These are my own observations so I would appreciate your more informed opinions.

[TXnMA]

I was only using the wheel as an analolgy for life-changing technologies (fluting) that were invented but never employed practically until by later cultures.

To me, the proto/early-human who gets the "genius award" is the one who first used something softer than flint for a hammer -- because its control opened up a whole world of advanced tool development.

Heck, when I was a kid, we had "long range mudball wars" -- using springy willow sticks to give us 100+ yard range. But, we never got the notion to throw a lightweight spear ("dart") with them -- ("Atlatl")...

TXnMA