Prehistoric little boys may have played with vehicles just as they do today, since at least one of the early model carts was found in the grave of a boy who died at age 11. The carts may help to explain apparent connections between the early residents of what is now Turkmenistan and the ancient people of south-eastern Iran and southern Afghanistan. Wheeled transportation would have permitted travel and the sharing of goods and ideas. Kircho notes that a unity of these places was reflected in their "house-building traditions, collective sequential burials in mudbrick chambers, and close parallels between the composition of the grave offerings and types of seals." The early camel and bull-drawn carts likely led to the emergence of some of the first dedicated "freeways" for vehicles. David Christian, author of the book "A History of Russia, Central Asia and Mongolia," describes a "huge monumental gateway" that was erected in Altyndepe around 3500 B.C. "It was 15 meters (over 49 feet) wide, and divided into two alleys: the narrower one for pedestrians, and a wider one paved with stones for carts and wheeled traffic," he explained. Christian added that the main city had a population of around 6,000-7,000 people but, perhaps due to the convenience of wheeled transportation, mini suburb-type communities quickly sprouted around the more urban hub. Related Links: |
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