A water clock, or clepsydra, is a timepiece that measures time by the regulated flow of liquid into or out of a vessel, among the oldest time-measuring instruments known. Simple forms existed in several ancient civilizations, including Babylon, Egypt and Persia, by around the 16th century BC. The oldest surviving physical example dates to about 1417 to 1379 BC in the New Kingdom of Egypt, during the reign of Amenhotep III, and the oldest documented attribution is a tomb inscription of the 16th-century BC Egyptian court official Amenemhet, which names him as its inventor.
Facts
YearSourced to the subject's own accountCited source dates the oldest water clock with physical evidence to c. 1417 to 1379 BCE, reign of Amenhotep III, New Kingdom Egypt; 1400 BCE is recorded as a circa midpoint of that range, not a claim of source precision to the exact year. SignificanceSourced to the subject's own accountWater clocks let ancient civilizations measure time independent of the sun, giving Babylonian astronomers a way to track night hours and Egyptian priests a way to fix the timing of temple rites. 1 Connections
In Field
Source Water Clock (Wikipedia)
Sources
1. Water Clock (Wikipedia)
WikipediaEgypt section
The oldest water clock of which there is physical evidence dates to c. 1417-1379 BC in the New Kingdom of Egypt, during the reign of the pharaoh Amenhotep III.
Lead section
The simplest form of water clock, with a bowl-shaped outflow, existed in Babylon, Egypt, and Persia around the 16th century BC.
In Field: Mechanical Engineering, Categories
Water clocks
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