Before the invention of electronic devices, people used water clocks to tell time. These devices consisted of containers with lines and small drainage holes. Nowadays, tracking time is much more convenient with watches and cell phones that can tell time down to the second. However, in the past, time tracking was completely different.
Sundials were commonly used in ancient times to measure time, but they had limitations as they only worked in sunlight and couldn’t maintain continuous divisions of time. To overcome these limitations, water clocks were invented. Two types of water clocks were used: outflow and inflow. These clocks operated based on the steady flow of water and observers could tell time by measuring changing water levels.
The oldest water clock with authentic evidence dates back to around 1417 – 1379 BC during the reign of pharaoh Amenhotep III in Egypt. The water clock found in the temple of Amen-Re in Karnak was broken into many pieces when discovered. It was designed like a large flower pot with measuring lines and a small hole for water to flow out. Ancient people would determine the time based on the water level inside the clock.
Despite the simplicity of water clocks, there were challenges with water pressure and changing seasons that made these clocks complex to operate. To regulate the flow of water, discs with holes were used based on the length of days and nights throughout the year. Despite these challenges, water clocks played a vital role in timekeeping before the invention of modern devices. Today, we have come a long way in the development of timekeeping methods.