Key words : invent valley ancient further pioneer warfare

B. Read the following dialogue between the English teacher, Mr Ramis and a student Rubina.

Mr Ramis : You know that the invention of the wheel has helped to create a new civilisation. But do you know who first used wheels?

Rubina : No teacher. But I guess it may be the Greeks.

Mr Ramis : The Greeks were pioneers in many things. But in this case, however, the Mesopotamians were the first. The oldest ever wheel was discovered in Mesopotamia. It was in 3,500 B.C.

Rubina : Where is Mesopotemia?

Mr Ramis : Well, Mesopotamia was in ancient Iraq. It was along the valley of the rivers Tigris and Euphrates. After the Mesopotamians, the wheel was further improved by the Egyptians. They first made wheels with spokes. Then they used them on chariots around 2000 BC.

Rubina : So the wheel travelled to Egypt from Mesopotamia?

Mr Ramis : Exactly. But it travelled eastwards too. Wheels reached the Indus valley by 3000 B.C. But chariots with spoked wheels were made in ancient India in around 1500 B.C. They were used for war, hunting and racing.

Rubina : What about the Greeks,teacher? Didn't they use wheels?

Mr Ramis : They definitely did. In 1500 BC, the Greeks too learnt the idea of wheel-making from the Egyptians. They also made further improvements on it. Later, the Romans did the same too and produced a variety of wheeled vehicles.