How Did Ancient Civilizations Keep Time?

Long ago, people didn’t have clocks, they used the sun and stars to know when it was time for work or sleep. Sundials showed the time of day by where the shadow fell, and water clocks measured time by how fast water flowed out of a container. It was like using a giant hourglass in the sky!

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Examples

A farmer uses a sundial on his field to know when to start working.
A water clock ticks slowly as the children wait for their turn at play.
The moon’s full shape helps a family know it's time for an important celebration.

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Categories: History · Timekeeping,Ancient History,Inventions