Horses prance as this ornate antique carousel spins. A cleverly designed system of circular ramps makes the galloping steeds go up and down while a cogwheel engages the teeth of the lower rim to make the wheel turn.

Carousels, in one form or another, have been around for centuries. The earliest visual record is found in a Byzantine bas-relief dating from around 500 A.D. The word "carousel" comes from the ancient Spanish word carosella used to describe a war game played by 12t-centry Arabian horsemen. In 18th-century England, carousels came to be called merry-go-rounds or roundabouts. Interestingly, English-made carousels always turn clockwise, while those made in Germany or the United States usually turn counter-clockwise.