Archaeologists in Israel have uncover doughnut-shape pebbles that may be among the earliest forms of wheel-like technology. Find at the Nahal Ein Gev II site in northern Israel, these 12,000-year-old limestone pebbles feature central holes and are thought to have use as spindle whorls, a tool for spinning fibres like flax and wool.
Talia Yashuv, a graduate student and co-author of the study at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Institute of Archaeology, told LiveScience that these ancient artefacts suggest early experimentation with rotational tools that could have laid the foundation for later advancements like the potter’s wheel and the cart wheel.
This discovery was publish in PLOS One on 13th November 2024, offering a glimpse into pre-agricultural technology in the region.
The roughly 100 perforate pebbles were analyse by Yashuv and Leore Grosman, a professor of prehistoric archaeology at the same institute.
After scanning each pebble in 3D, the team produce details models to assess their potential uses.
Most of the pebbles were thought unlikely to serve as fishing weights or beads due to their size and shape, which diverge from artefacts use in similar periods.
The team recreate spindle whorls from the scanned models, which traditional craft expert Yonit Crystal use to spin flax and wool.
As the flax was easier to handle, the replicas demonstrate that the pebbles were likely effective as spindle whorls, supporting early textile production, as per study.
This findings indicate that these spindle whorls can mark a key point in technological evolution, potentially link to new methods of storage and survival.
Alex Joffe, a director at the Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa and experienced archaeologist, told LiveScience that the possibility that these artefacts could have enabled innovations like bags or fishing lines.
Yorke Rowan, an archaeology professor at the University of Chicago, echo this view, noting that the analysis represents a “critical turning point” in early technology.
As these pebbles may represent one of the earliest uses of wheel-like forms, Carole Cheval, an expert in prehistoric textiles at CEPAM in France, told that the publication that she observe that similar objects have find in other regions, possibly from earlier periods.
This adds another layer to understanding the origins of rotational technology, highlighting the ongoing exploration of ancient human innovation.
