A perforated stone from Nahal-Ein Gev II dig site in front of its 3D model. Photo: Daniel Rolider for the Smithsonian Magazine
A perforated stone from Nahal-Ein Gev II dig site in front of its 3D model. Photo: Daniel Rolider for the Smithsonian Magazine
A perforated stone from Nahal-Ein Gev II dig site in front of its 3D model. Photo: Daniel Rolider for the Smithsonian Magazine
A perforated stone from Nahal-Ein Gev II dig site in front of its 3D model. Photo: Daniel Rolider for the Smithsonian Magazine

Archaeologists say 12,000-year-old Middle East stones may be earliest known wheel technology


Neil Murphy
  • English
  • Arabic

Archaeologists have found a collection of 12,000-year-old stones in the Middle East which may be the earliest known example of the wheel in action. The perforated pebbles from an archaeological dig in northern Israel are likely to be spindle whorls, disc-shaped objects with a hollowed centre used in an ancient method of spinning cloth.

These stones are believed to be from settlements of the Natufians, an ancient culture situated in modern-day Israel, Palestine and Jordan. This era marked the transition to an agricultural lifestyle before the Neolithic period, long before the cart wheels of the Bronze Age, which came thousands of years later.

Talia Yashuv of the Hebrew University at the excavation site of Nahal Ein Gev II in northern Israel. Naftali Hilger
Talia Yashuv of the Hebrew University at the excavation site of Nahal Ein Gev II in northern Israel. Naftali Hilger

Spindle whorls are an example of "wheel and axle" technology that allows the spinning of raw fibre into twisted thread. They showed humanity the importance of rotation before they grasped how wheels could be used to move items or create pottery.

The discovery pushes back the known timeline for wheel-like inventions by about 4,000 years, researchers say. The advent of the wheel is thought to have occurred in Mesopotamia or perhaps eastern Europe, but its exact birthplace is unknown.

"The stones mentioned in the research represent a milestone in our understanding of the development of wheeled rotational technologies", Talia Yashuv, professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, told The National. She said that while wheel-less rotational technologies have been in use for thousands of years – for example in drilling to make holes and fire and in manual fibre spinning – the recently stone tools are actually the first wheels in "form and function".

The stones were found the on the banks of Ein Gev River, in northern Israel, facing the Sea of Galilee. Naftali Hilger
The stones were found the on the banks of Ein Gev River, in northern Israel, facing the Sea of Galilee. Naftali Hilger

The stones were recovered from the Nahal-Ein Gev II dig site in northern Israel and date back approximately 12,000 years. Using 3D modelling, researchers analysed over a hundred of these stones, which are mostly made from limestone, with hollowed or partially hollowed centres.

Due to their structure and composition, the authors of the paper strongly believe they were used spindle whorls, a hypothesis also supported by successfully spinning flax using replicas of the stones. This collection of ancient spindle whorls would represent a very early example of humans using rotation with a wheel-shaped tool, Prof Yashuv said, adding that they might have paved the way for later rotational technologies, which were vital to the development of early human civilisations.

A close-up of a spindle whorl from the archaeological dig. Laurent Davin
A close-up of a spindle whorl from the archaeological dig. Laurent Davin

"However, at this early time, the innovation of wheeled rotational technologies is still non-linear, and for some reason, there’s a gap of 4,000 years until the ‘pottery Neolithic’ period, in which centrally perforated tools made of stones or ceramics, mostly reported as spindle whorls, are recovered in a wide geographical distribution, through all periods up to historical times."

"From this moment, additional wheeled rotational technologies start to evolve – the potter’s wheel and the cart wheel, and the rest is history." The research is the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Talia Yashuv and Leore Grosman from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Empire of Enchantment: The Story of Indian Magic

John Zubrzycki, Hurst Publishers

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Medicus AI

Started: 2016

Founder(s): Dr Baher Al Hakim, Dr Nadine Nehme and Makram Saleh

Based: Vienna, Austria; started in Dubai

Sector: Health Tech

Staff: 119

Funding: €7.7 million (Dh31m)

 

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

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Barbie
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How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
  1. Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
  2. Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
  3. Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
  4. Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
  5. Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
  6. The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
  7. Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269

*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year

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What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

FIGHT CARD

 

1.           Featherweight 66kg

Ben Lucas (AUS) v Ibrahim Kendil (EGY)

2.           Lightweight 70kg

Mohammed Kareem Aljnan (SYR) v Alphonse Besala (CMR)

3.           Welterweight 77kg

Marcos Costa (BRA) v Abdelhakim Wahid (MAR)

4.           Lightweight 70kg

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5.           Featherweight 66kg

Ahmed Al Darmaki (UAE) v Kagimu Kigga (UGA)

6.           Catchweight 85kg

Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) v Iuri Fraga (BRA)

7.           Featherweight 66kg

Yousef Al Husani (UAE) v Mohamed Allam (EGY)

8.           Catchweight 73kg

Mostafa Radi (PAL) v Abdipatta Abdizhali (KGZ)

9.           Featherweight 66kg

Jaures Dea (CMR) v Andre Pinheiro (BRA)

10.         Catchweight 90kg

Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Juscelino Ferreira (BRA)

Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
  • Flexible work arrangements
  • Pension support
  • Mental well-being assistance
  • Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
  • Financial well-being incentives 
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8 traditional Jamaican dishes to try at Kingston 21

  1. Trench Town Rock: Jamaican-style curry goat served in a pastry basket with a carrot and potato garnish
  2. Rock Steady Jerk Chicken: chicken marinated for 24 hours and slow-cooked on the grill
  3. Mento Oxtail: flavoured oxtail stewed for five hours with herbs
  4. Ackee and salt fish: the national dish of Jamaica makes for a hearty breakfast
  5. Jamaican porridge: another breakfast favourite, can be made with peanut, cornmeal, banana and plantain
  6. Jamaican beef patty: a pastry with ground beef filling
  7. Hellshire Pon di Beach: Fresh fish with pickles
  8. Out of Many: traditional sweet potato pudding
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm

Price: From Dh1,700,000

Available: Now

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

 

The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet
THE SPECS

Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine 

Power: 420kW

Torque: 780Nm

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

Price: From Dh1,350,000

On sale: Available for preorder now

THE BIO

Favourite place to go to in the UAE: The desert sand dunes, just after some rain

Who inspires you: Anybody with new and smart ideas, challenging questions, an open mind and a positive attitude

Where would you like to retire: Most probably in my home country, Hungary, but with frequent returns to the UAE

Favorite book: A book by Transilvanian author, Albert Wass, entitled ‘Sword and Reap’ (Kard es Kasza) - not really known internationally

Favourite subjects in school: Mathematics and science

Updated: November 13, 2024, 7:01 PM