The world's oldest known wheel was found during research of pile dwelling settlement in Slovenia in Ljubljana Marshes (Ljubljansko barje).
Besides the remains of the wheel, a separated axle has also been found.

According to the associated finds, radiocarbon dating and dendrochronological analyses, the wheel and axle are approximately 5200 years old.

It was found in 2002, by a team from the Institute of Archaeology Scientific Research Center of the Slovene Academy of Sciences and Arts, under the supervision of Dr. Anton Velušček near Stara gmajne near Vrhnika.

The wheel consists of two ash-wood plates, connected by four oak wedges. The choice of ash -wood was not coincidental, because of its strength and because it grew in the vicinity. The axle was made from a single piece of oak wood and stretches 124 cm long. It rotated together with the wheel. The wheel measures about 72 cm in diameter and is around 5 cm thick.

The wheel is surprisingly accurate and extremely skillfully constructed. The manner of attachment and joining point to an exceptionally skilled master craftsman and a real connoisseur of various types of wood. The wheel from a pile dwelling in Ljubljansko barje could be considered as one of pinnacles of world's cultural heritage, due to its age and technical mastercraft.

Similar wheels are known from hilly areas of Switzerland and south Germany. It is generally considered that the first wheels were used in Mesopotamia and the fertile crescent in the mid-4th millennium BC. From there it is supposed to have come to Europe, together with other skills and products. Along with that, there are several theories arguing that the wheel was invented simultaneously in many parts of the world. Some theories attribute the invention of the wheel to prehistoric Europe.

Dendrochronological analyses revealed that the trunk of the ash tree the planks are made of was at least 40 cm in diameter, and that the tree itself was around 80 years old and could generate dimensions necessary for large planks with no knots in them.

EDIT: This video used to be titled "The First Wheel in History - Pile Dwellers in Europe". But after multiple viewers (correctly) pointed out that it would be more correct to label the artifact along the line of the oldest wheel found to date, I have decided to change the title to better reflect that. Even though it may not be as flashy title, I agree that it's important to be clear when it comes to what we know about history.
Thank you for all your input and constructive criticism.

Sources: docs.google.com/document/d/1mnK9tpEvz9UgeVWuUh8fPF…

More history in the heart of Europe:    • History in the heart of Europe  

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