12,000-Year-Old Stones May Finally Reveal the Origins of the Wheel

Archaeologists in Israel have discovered a collection of small, round stones with holes in the center, which may be among the earliest examples of wheel-like tools. These doughnut-shaped stones, around 100 in total, are estimated to be 12,000 years old. While the wheel was likely invented around 6,000 years ago, this new discovery suggests that the origins of the wheel may trace back much earlier

They are thought to have belonged to settlements of the Natufians, an ancient culture situated in what is now Israel, Palestine, and Jordan. This culture existed during a transitional period before the Neolithic, marking an early shift toward agriculture.

An early tool for spinning fiber

The stones, uncovered at the “Nahal Ein Gev II” site near the Sea of Galilee, may have been used as spindle whorls—disc-shaped objects that helped early humans spin raw fibers like flax into twisted thread. Researchers believe these tools allowed the Natufians to produce early textiles, possibly used for bags or fishing lines.

Published in the journal PLOS One, this research offers a glimpse into how early societies began using rotation-based tools, a critical step toward more advanced technology.

A milestone in rotational technology

Talia Yashuv, a graduate student at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Institute of Archaeology, described these stones as early wheels in both form and function. “While the perforated pebbles were kept mostly at their natural unmodified shape, they represent wheels in form and function: a round object with a hole in the center connected to a rotating axle,” she explained.

While spindle whorls demonstrate an early form of “wheel and axle” technology, it would take another 4,000 years before this innovation evolved into the potter’s wheel and later the cartwheel in the Neolithic period. This gap, noted by researchers, suggests that the development of wheeled technology was non-linear, with long periods of gradual change.

Testing the tools with 3D models

The team conducted a series of tests to explore whether the stones were spindle whorls. Using 3D modeling, they created precise replicas and enlisted Yonit Crystal, an expert in traditional crafts, to spin threads. With some practice, Crystal effectively spun flax, supporting the idea that the stones were used to produce early textiles.

“The stones mentioned in the research represent a milestone in our understanding of the development of wheeled rotational technologies,” Yashuv said.

While the birthplace of the wheel itself remains uncertain, possibly originating in Mesopotamia or Eastern Europe, the recently discovered spindle whorls may push back the timeline for rotational tools by about 4,000 years.

Praise from experts

Archaeologist Alex Joffe, who was not involved in the study, emphasized the importance of the findings. “The experimental results do indeed suggest the perforated stones were used as spindle whorls,” he said.

Joffe added that early humans might have spun small amounts of flax for early storage methods, such as bags and fishing lines, which would have aided in storing and sustaining supplies. This development, he suggested, could have far-reaching implications beyond the initial findings.