Water Clocks

“What time is it” is such a common question and the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 wondered it too! The ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 were masters of math and science 𓂋𓐍𓏏𓏜 and one of their long lasting contributions to the world was the first clock – which was a sundial 𓍬𓏏𓊌 (also known as a shadow clock)! The sundial 𓍬𓏏𓊌 was the first portable time keeping device! 

These two pieces pictured are also clocks except these are known as water clocks 𓈙𓃀𓅱𓃻. The water clock 𓈙𓃀𓅱𓃻 is the first clock that didn’t depend on an astronomical object to tell the time! The oldest water clock 𓈙𓃀𓅱𓃻 known was found in the tomb 𓇋𓇩𓊃𓉐 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenhotep I 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓏏𓊪(c. 1500 B.C.E.). The Greeks even adopted the use of water clocks 𓈙𓃀𓅱𓃻𓏪 around 325 B.C.E. and named them “clepsydras” which translates to “water thieves.” 

A water clock 𓈙𓃀𓅱𓃻 is a vessel/vase that has a hole at the bottom that allowed water 𓈗 to drip through at a slow pace. Water clocks 𓈙𓃀𓅱𓃻𓏪 were usually used to tell time at night 𓎼𓂋𓎛𓄛, but they might have been used during the day 𓉔𓂋𓏺𓇳 too. The water 𓈗 was drained from the vessel after twelve 𓎆𓏻 hours, and then it could be refilled and be used again! Markings on the side helped to keep more accurate time! 

These two water clocks 𓈙𓃀𓅱𓃻𓏪 were probably used in a temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐. They both depict baboons because the god 𓊹 Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭 could take the form of a baboon. Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭 was not only the inventor of hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 and the god 𓊹 of knowledge 𓂋𓐍𓏏𓏜, but his many other duties included being an overseer of measurement! 

Both of the water clocks 𓈙𓃀𓅱𓃻𓏪 are made of faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼. The blue/green 𓇅𓆓𓏛 one dated to the 4th Century B.C.E. (Late Period) while the tan colored one is dated to 664–30 B.C.E. (Late-Ptolemaic Periods). 

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