Indigenous Americans also avoided inventing a written language for 5,000 years.
And, indigenous Americans were thousands of years behind Europe in metallurgy.
Aztecs & Toltecs had the Nahuatl script
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aztec_script
The Mayan has a script (Maya glyphs) that is hieroglyphic in nature. It is the only Mesoamerican writing system that has been substantially deciphered.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_script
As far as the wheel goes, some theorize that without a large strong draft animal no need for a wheel. Also, with plenty of slaves available, no need for ease of transport. They did have wheels on what looks like children’s toys.
The Incas had no written language. They had a way of keeping records with a knotted rope system called Quipu. Not a real written language.
Many Native/indigenous Americans had “written” language-similar to those in Egypt-having hieroglyphics and other symbols. At least one of them has been deciphered. Since they were using their skills at working metal for making jewelry and other intricate objects out of gold and silver, I’m pretty sure they were working metal-just not iron into weapons, etc...