I wondered why they made barrels in such a different shape. It's not a neat cylinder or garbage can shape. "Barrels often have a convex shape, bulging at the middle. This constant bulge makes it easier to roll a well-built wooden barrel on its side, changing directions with little friction. It also helps to distribute evenly in the material by making the container more spherical." From Wikipedia I could be wrong but I think the barrel's shape also allowed it to be rocked back and forth to make it easier to stand it up. Here are the parts of a barrel: This is an amazing contraption!
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