How Did Ancient Civilizations Measure Time?

People used the sun, stars, and water to count days and hours. Imagine watching the sun go up and down every day, that’s how they knew a day was over. Some people even filled big pots with water and let it drip out slowly, like a tiny clock!

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Examples

A farmer noticed that the sun rises every morning, that’s how they knew when to plant seeds.
A kid watched a shadow on a wall get longer as the day went on, that was their clock.
Water trickled from one pot to another, and people used it like an hourglass for parties.

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Categories: History · time,ancient history,measurement