A Brief History of Human Powered Transportation

Although not powered by a human, a powerful potentate, King Kai Kawas of Persia, is depicted flying in a goose-powered aerial chariot. The stimulus for the geese to accept this extra burden is clearly the fish held on the staves at each corner of the chariot. The concept of incentive was clearly developed by 1500 BCE, the period associated with this event!

From: Gibbs-Smith, "Flight Through the Ages," Crowell (1974)