system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: How did some otherwise-advanced ancient civilizations, like the Maya, never develop the wheel?

The wheel was known to many/most ancient civilizations, yet some, like the Maya, never developed it. 

Why not?
gpt
You need to have some reason for inventing it, for the wheel to be a practical solution to transport you need flat open areas that can be turned into a form of road and also preferably need some draft animal like a horse or oxen to pull carts or wagons. Most of the area was unsuitable for wheeled transport and humans carrying packs on their backs were a more efficient method of transport. The other factor is that there was a substantial amount of water transport which is far more efficient than wheeled transport, so you could say the invention of the boat/barge blocked the need for the wheel.