When the sun was down how did societies that used sun dials know how much time has passed?

Question

When the sun was down how did societies that used sun dials know how much time has passed?

In: 7

Answer 1

You’ve probably already seen an hourglass, that’s one method.

There’s also the water clock, essentially a bucket with a small hole and marks on the inside that indicate how much time has passed based on how much water has flowed out.

Candle clocks were another method. Wax burns at a predicable speed. This means that you can make candles in a standardized size and get a decent idea of how much time has passed by measuring the candle. Candle holders with the hours already marked used to be available.

If you know enough astronomy it’s possible to know the time by looking at the stars.