About Sundials
Seen today as garden decorations, sundials have played a rich role in many civilizations throughout the world. In a time before the invention of clocks, the sundial was the mainstay of ancient businessmen, sailors and households alike, who with the help of this handy tool were able to make appointments and schedule meals and chores on an hourly basis.
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History
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Although the Egyptians first tracked time with the obelisk, it wasn't until about 1500 BC that they evolved their large "time towers" into the sundial form as we know it today. Telling the time of day became important to the Egyptians, and they devised portable sundials so that they might carry the time wherever they traveled. By the Middle Ages, the sundial had become so common that even the peasants of Europe had their own, carved into the bottom of their wooden shoes so that they need only to knock off the dirt to tell time.
Features
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By the Renaissance, sundials had evolved into more detailed designs, and many had features such as seasonal markers, dates, zodiac signs, compass points and the time of sunrise and sunset as well as telling the time to the hour and minute. Sundials became a form of art in the royal gardens, with craftsmen competing to make the most elaborate time pieces.
Types
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While some sundials use a spot or line of light to pinpoint the time, other sundials use the tip or edge of a shadow for the same purpose. The rod or other object that is used to deflect the sun is called the sundial's gnomon, and can be any object with a straight edge or sharp tip. The most common surface of a sundial is a plane, but spheres, cylinders and cones can also be used.
Function
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Installing a sundial is not as simple as you might think. Many dials require knowing the precise vertical (perfectly level) direction, as well as the local latitude and the exact direction to true North. If a sundial isn't installed correctly, it will be a nice garden ornament but an inaccurate timepiece.
Benefits
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While some may see the use of a sundial as being quaint and antiquated, once you have correctly installed your sundial you will find great pleasure in telling the time of day by connecting the earth and sun through simple mathematics. A sundial will enable the owner to connect to the experience of time-tellers that lived centuries ago.
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- Photo Credit Wikimedia Commons
