THE NEW STONE AGE 
forming an axle, and the primitive cart appeared in all its 
essentials—body, axle, and wheels. Even today we see in 
various parts of the world carts of this type, where a round 
axle, held in place between pairs of wooden pins, turns 
with the wheels (Plate 66). 
In time man cut away part of the solid wheels to lighten 
the weight, and from this he advanced to the step of as- 
sembling them from separate pieces, although they still 
ANNAN 
{ ulti it i i 
Fic. 74. Primitive Mexican cart, introduced from Spain. From specimen in 
the National Museum 
remained attached firmly to the axle so that the latter 
revolved with them (Fig. 74). Long generations passed 
before true spokes, all radiating outward from the hub, 
were invented. In many parts of China today, for ex- 
ample, one sees a type of wheel in which the axle passes 
through a massive wooden construction something in the 
shape of a capital H, instead of true spokes as in Plate 66. 
From the beginning man seems to have associated the 
wheel, and along with it the cart, with religious beliefs and 
practices. One of the earliest uses to which he put wheeled 
vehicles was to carry symbols or representations of the 
gods, on the march or into battle. We see proof of this 
practice in prehistoric rock drawings, ancient models of 
sacred cars, in the folklore and mythology of many 
peoples, and in the historical records of some ancient races. 
Probably the use of chariots in war began in this way. 
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