The first tool of man not influenced by nature... was the WHEEL ...
One of the most important inventions in all of human history
Before the wheel came around, about 5,500 years (which really isn't that long ago) man had discovered and invented a slew of things..
FIRE / COOKING ... goes way back some 500,000 years or more, with our direct ancestors Homo erectus using fire 1.8 million years ago.
Cooked food conserved energy in chewing & digesting meats.
CLOTHING ... traced back over 150,000 yrs. Evidence of our cousins the Neanderthals wearing animal skins.
JEWELRY ... came close behind Clothing. Discovered in ancient burial graves.
Oldest known neckless, Neanderthal, made from Eagle claws..
BOATS ... As far back as 50,000 yrs .. oldest found in the Netherlands, a canoe, 10.000 yrs old..
POTTERY ... A VERY IMPORTANT INVENTION, made from clay using FIRE to harden. Making drinking, eating and storage items.
Roman Pottery ...
The WHEEL was needed, (pottery wheel) to shape the soft clay items.. From the POTTERY WHEEL the idea for the cart wheel may have come into being.
Oldest crude pottery going back in China 20,000 yrs.
BOW & ARROW ... Found to Go back over 70,000 years
BOOZE ... Oldest evidence in China 9,000 yrs but may go back to the origin of agriculture.. Some archaeologists believe early farmers grew grains to make beer before bread...
Now back to THE WHEEL ... Fabulous invention, but useless for transportation without it's companion THE AXLE ...
The First Wheels and Axles turned together. Later fixed Axles were used..
The Yamnaya culture in Russia invented first horse drawn wagon
An array of uses came into being for THE WHEEL, only limited by the human imagination.
Wheels to power sawmills, and gristmills, Spinning Wheel ...
Now the wheel is puny to the inventions of modern man.. but still used for so many things..
sources ... https://www.thoughtco.com/the-invention-of-the-wheel-1992669
Wikipedia
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/534090/things-invented-before-the-wheel
duckduckgo.com ... images