Clothing made from fabric (rather than animal hides) was not invented until about 6500 b.c., when the first spinning devices were developed. Before the appearance of these devices--which were almost certainly invented by women--there had been no way to spin fibers for woolen fabric or other materials into yarn (which could be woven into cloth) and thread (to sew a garment together). However, these early devices did not actually spin. They simply held the fibers taut so that the spinner could twist them by hand. It was not until much later that a true spinning wheel was developed.

The first spinning wheels were probably inspired by the silk spinning machines used in India around 700 b.c. They were used throughout Europe and the British Isles, and most had an almost identical design. The most prominent feature was a large hand-turned wheel that was attached by a...