Why Do We Measure Time?

Time flies inexorably, and man cannot stop it or turn it back. However, it can measure it and thus organize the day, month or even year. Today, to check what the day of the month or the time is, we check the phone. However, for many centuries people have tried to tame time differently. Check what ideas they had for it.

Created by:

Renata Pernak

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How was time initially measured?

The first method of organizing time was through calendars. Over 5,000 years ago, in ancient Egypt, a calendar was created with a year consisting of 360 days. It was based on observations of the Sun, Moon, and the regular flooding of the Nile River. The Nile was crucial for agriculture at that time, and the calendar helped plan agricultural activities. Further observation of the sky quickly led to the realization that an error had been made, prompting the Egyptians to correct the calendar by extending the year to 365 days.

Sounds familiar, right?

Does the same calendar apply everywhere in the world?

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Yes, it is true that different cultures often use their own calendars.

Kalendarz żydowski na rok 1940-1941 (5701)

Museum of the history of Polish Jews

In the Jewish calendar, which is used by followers of Judaism, a year consists of 12 months with either 29 or 30 days. Every two or three years, a leap year occurs, which has an additional 13th month. A day begins and ends at sunset, which holds significant importance, especially for the holiday known as Shabbat. It begins on Friday evening, so Jewish calendars also indicate the estimated time of sunset for that day of the week.

Kalendarz żydowski na rok 1940-1941 (5701)

Museum of the history of Polish Jews

The visible number in the center, 5701, represents a year. It is an indication of the year according to the Jewish calendar. The reason behind this is that Jews date time from the creation of the world, which, according to Judaism, occurred in the year 3761 BCE.

Therefore, the year 5701 corresponds to the year 1940 in another reckoning. This calendar originates from that period.

Kalendarz żydowski na rok 1940-1941 (5701)

Museum of the history of Polish Jews

Fun fact

The beginning of the new year in the Jewish calendar falls in the autumn.

Kalendarz żydowski na rok 1940-1941 (5701)

Museum of the history of Polish Jews

What did the first clocks look like?

The first ancient clocks determined the time of day based on the position of the sun, which is why they were called sundials. They had a single fixed hand, and the hour was indicated by the shadow it cast. When the sun was at its highest point in the sky, the shadow was shortest and pointed to 12 noon.

But how could one tell the time on a cloudy day when the sun wasn't visible? For such occasions, other natural methods of timekeeping were invented, such as water clocks or hourglasses.

Are sundials simply straightforward devices?

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That's how it was in the beginning, but over time, they became increasingly complicated

Sundial with a cannon

Museum of King Jan III's Palace at Wilanów

Sundial with a cannon

Museum of King Jan III's Palace at Wilanów

An extremely interesting example of a sundial is the one with a cannon, which fires at noon. It's very impressive and clever. How does this happen? Well, at that time, the sun's rays pass through a magnifying glass and cause the gunpowder to ignite, resulting in a shot.

Sundial with a cannon

Museum of King Jan III's Palace at Wilanów

Even today, there are people who construct sundials to make them as accurate as possible. However, they do this as a part of their hobby, as these clocks no longer have real significance in terms of time measurement today.

Sundial with a cannon

Museum of King Jan III's Palace at Wilanów

Fun fact

Sundial enthusiasts call their wonderful creations sunflowers.

The mechanical clock was invented

Finally, in the 14th century, a breakthrough occurred, and not a small one. The mechanical clock, which is not afraid of weather or time of day, always does its job. Although it is believed that the first mechanical clock in Europe was invented as early as the 10th century, they only gained popularity 300 years later. First, they appeared on the towers of many churches and town halls across Europe. Then they made their way into homes (or rather palaces), before finally ending up in pockets, and later on the wrists of users.

It's time to take a closer look at some mechanical gems.

What does the phrase "watchmaker's precision" mean?

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In the past, the construction of clocks was done manually and required not only knowledge but also the watchmaker's manual precision. Therefore, to do something with "watchmaker's precision" means to perform a task with tremendous accuracy.

Floor mirror clock of Augustus II (one of a pair)

Museum of King Jan III's Palace at Wilanów

Floor mirror clock of Augustus II (one of a pair)

Museum of King Jan III's Palace at Wilanów

In times when clocks were handcrafted, they were extremely expensive and were made to order for wealthy families. A clock that was to be placed in a palace interior also had to dazzle with its appearance.

Floor mirror clock of Augustus II (one of a pair)

Museum of King Jan III's Palace at Wilanów

The displayed piece is a rare example of a mirrored floor clock. Its name comes from the fact that it is decorated with mirrors. This clock is 267 centimeters tall, and its main part rests on the backs of two lying golden lions. The clock mechanism, consisting of weights and a pendulum, is hidden inside, but it can be viewed through the central glass, which is cloverleaf-shaped.

Floor mirror clock of Augustus II (one of a pair)

Museum of King Jan III's Palace at Wilanów

Fun fact

A type of pendulum clock is a carillon, which plays melodies on the hour.

What makes ancient clocks unique?

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Until the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries, each clock was individually made by a watchmaker. Therefore, even similar pieces made by the same person differed in details.

Tiled stove clock

National Museum in Lublin

The presented clock comes from the 17th century and is called a tile clock. If you look at it from the side, it resembles a box ...

Tiled stove clock

National Museum in Lublin

Tiled stove clock

National Museum in Lublin

Tiled stove clock

National Museum in Lublin

... but the view from the top may remind one of a tile – hence its name. This clock was placed on a table, which is why it is richly decorated from all sides – this way it looks equally impressive to everyone sitting at the table. Through the windows, you can also admire the working mechanism.

Tiled stove clock

National Museum in Lublin

Fun fact

Tiled clocks standing on legs were called frogs in Poland.

Do we know the authors of ancient clocks?

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Yes, the most experienced watchmakers had the right to mark their products – just like works of art – with their own name or symbol.

Cabinet clock mechanism

National Museum in Szczecin

The author of the presented clock mechanism is master Kaspar Nitardy, who lived at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries. Where does the word "master" come from? It was the highest degree that a craftsman practicing a given profession could achieve.

Cabinet clock mechanism

National Museum in Szczecin

Nitardy combined the clock with a calendar function. This is evidenced by the presence of a date indicator in the lower part of the dial. Meanwhile, the small dial visible under the XII hour probably served as a second hand, although the hand did not survive to our times.

It's also worth paying attention to the gold decorations around the dial. In the precisely made braid, fantastic – sometimes funny, other times eerie – faces are hidden. Higher up, we can see winged creatures that resemble snakes.

Cabinet clock mechanism

National Museum in Szczecin

Fun fact

Human faces that are sculpted to decorate an object or building are called mascarons.

Cabinet clock mechanism

National Museum in Szczecin

Is it possible to combine different ways of measuring time within a single clock?

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Yes, clocks with advanced mechanisms can simultaneously indicate both the hours and, for example, the seasons, zodiac signs, or phases of the Moon.

Rolland

Castle Museum in Łańcut

Rolland

Castle Museum in Łańcut

This French model from the late 18th century has as many as five dials with different hands. The largest dial shows the hours, minutes, and seconds. The medium one is divided into four seasons and zodiac signs, and it also marks the dates of equinoxes and the summer and spring solstices. But that's not all! There are three smaller dials below.

Rolland

Castle Museum in Łańcut

The first dial on the left is divided into seven sections representing the days of the week. The next one indicates the phases of the Moon (quarters, full moon, and new moon) and is divided into 29 sections according to the lunar calendar. The last dial on the right, divided into 31 segments, shows the day of the calendar month.

The complex process that occurs inside the clock can be observed because the mechanism is well visible through a glass cover.

Rolland

Castle Museum in Łańcut

Fun fact

A clock in which we can observe the workings of the mechanism with the naked eye is called a skeleton clock.

Rolland

Castle Museum in Łańcut

When was the first portable watch created?

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The idea of a small watch that could be carried around first emerged in the 16th century.

Pocket watch

Castle Museum in Łańcut

Pocket watch

Castle Museum in Łańcut

The early inventions of this kind were relatively large and heavy, so they were hung on a chain around the neck. They often ran late and required constant time adjustments. Over the years, the mechanism was improved, and watches became not only more accurate but also smaller – eventually small enough to fit in a pocket.

Pocket watch

Castle Museum in Łańcut

In the 19th century, the production of pocket watches became more mass-produced.

Their history came to an end with the outbreak of World War I when it became evident that a watch was an essential part of every soldier's equipment. This gave rise to the need for wristwatches to be produced and worn on the wrist.

Pocket watch

Castle Museum in Łańcut

Fun fact

In the 19th century, a pocket watch worn in a vest pocket was considered a symbol of a gentleman. It not only demonstrated a sense of style but also indicated social status.

Why Do We Measure Time?

Dictionary of terms:

Judaism – religion professed by Jews; Judaism is belief in one God. The most important book for the followers of Judaism is the Torah.

Antiquity – a period in history covering the history from the emergence of the first civilizations to around the 5th century AD This term is used for areas of the Middle East, Europe and North Africa where great civilizations developed in antiquity, including Babylonian, Egyptian, Greek and Roman. The term "antiquity" is sometimes used interchangeably for Greece and Rome.

Jews – followers of the religion known as Judaism; for centuries they settled in many places around the world, incl. in Poland. In 1948, the state of Israel was established, in which many Jews live.

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Why Do We Measure Time?

Treść ścieżki edukacyjnej

Kalendarz żydowski na rok 1940-1941 (5701)

Kalendarz żydowski na rok 1940-1941 (5701)

Kalendarz żydowski na rok 1940-1941 (5701)

Sundial with a cannon

Sundial with a cannon

Sundial with a cannon

Floor mirror clock of Augustus II (one of a pair)

Floor mirror clock of Augustus II (one of a pair)

Floor mirror clock of Augustus II (one of a pair)

Tiled stove clock

Tiled stove clock

Tiled stove clock

Cabinet clock mechanism

Cabinet clock mechanism

Cabinet clock mechanism

Rolland

Rolland

Rolland

Pocket watch

Pocket watch

Pocket watch

Why Do We Measure Time?

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