The stone artifacts appear again, 4000 years later — and in between ... Spindle whorls hint at a “pre-wheel” stage in the development of rotational technology. These tools function similarly to a wheel and axle, indicating that the principles ...

The wheel was likely invented around 6,000 years ago, but a new analysis of curious rocks from Israel suggests that wheel-like technologies existed even earlier.

Israeli archeologists use models based on their find to spin flax into yarn, indicating these pebbles were used as a version of a spinning wheel.

A collection of perforated pebbles from an archaeological site in Israel may be spindle whorls, representing a key milestone in the development of rotational tools including wheels, according to a study published November 13,