Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-03-27
OLD TIME TELLERs.
The First Clocks-The Dial Ring, Sun
Dial and Clepsydra.

The invention of clocks has been
fathered on different persons, at dates
varying from before the Christian era
to the fourteenth century, but to trace
precisely the, first appearance of an
instrument at all resembling the mod
ern clock is somewhat difficult. In
1888 a clock tower and clock were set
up in Westminster at the expense of
Chief Justice de Hengham,,z a punish
ment imposed upon him for. classifying
the record of fine, says the London
Globe, and weight clocks were known
IN European monastic houses from the
tenth century onward, but it is very
doubtful if these possessed dial face
and hands; more probably they mere
ly caused a bell to sound at stated in
tervals.
The sand glass can boast an antiqui-
ty or rather better than 1000 years at
least, am though now enjoying an
honorable retirement, or merely pre-
siding jim old-fashioned kitchens at the
boiling of an egg, had formerly place
in almost every parish church and
served to keep the sermon within rea-
sonablc bounds. Hour glasses Of SUI
perior quality at one time contained
not sand but eggshells, which finely
powered and Kindred formed a ma
terial less sentitive to atmospheric
moisture.
Of probably still greater antiquity
than the hour glass was the clepsydra
or water clock, of which we know of
was the Hindus copper basin pierced
wills ho1 ;v,t l,n hot ;oI,
placed in a vessel of water, gradually
iilled and sank at the appointed time.
More elaborate forms were known in
Europe and Egypt.
Though varying somewhat in con-
struction the principle of each was the
same, Il float" This was either placed
in a full cylinder from which the wa
Ter gradually escaped by hole in the
bottom-usually bored in pearl as
being less liable to erosion by the con-
slant flow; or in an empty vessel to
which water was admitted from above
In both varieties the float, falling or
rising as the case might be, pointed
to the scale or hours marked upon the
vesselSs side. The float sometimes
took the form of a miniature boat, in
which the pointer was an outstretched
oar.
ClepsyGrae such as these were used
in the Athenian courts of law anG had
a special officer in charge, one water"
apiece being allowed to plaintiff, de-
PENDANT and judge; during the reading
of any documents which bore upon the
case the flow was stopped. A clepsy-
ORA which in it's action and appearance
foreshadowed the modern clock car
ried upon it's t9oat an upright rod
which acted on 4 toothed wheel and
turned hand upon dial.
But the precursor of both the sand
glass and the clepsydra was without
doubt the 'gnolnon" of the sun dial; a
simple rod which. standing upright in
4 sunny place, measured times pas
sage by its moving shodow on the
ground.
The earliest time teller at all con-
venientiy portable was the dial ring
Within its broad banded circle We're
craven the hours, and ray of sun
light falling through a small hole in
the rings upper side when held erect
gave the approximate time. 1t was
either this or its immediate successor
"a miniature dial plate with hinged
collapsible gnomCn totadnit if it's be-
ing carried in the pocket-that was
drawn from the poke" of Shakes
peare's forest fool. The dial ring held
its own until comparatively recent
times, when watches. though We'll
known, were still too dear for common
use.
Ornamental and elaborate as often
Is our modern clock. watches, however
costly, now seldom deviate into any
form but that of the simple circle.
Oval watches We're formerly common
Cromwclls watch was of this shape.
sixteenth century watch still in eX-
istence is siX-sded oglong and was
fitted, ninety years after it's construo-
ton, with pendulum. Mary of Scot
land presented to one of der famous
-four Maries" a grewsome little time
piece-technically a watch. thou.i: too
large and heavy for personal usc--in
the form of a skull. ricniy adorned
with sculptured tokens OF mortality, as
Time and Death, the CrucifXion and
tile like. Box" and book watches
were also favorite forms