This happy sun dial is sure to brighten up any dayroom or sun porch, and measures approx. 13.5" in diameter.
The earliest sundials known from the archaeological record are obelisks (3500 BC) and shadow clocks (1500 BC) from ancient Egypt and Babylon. Presumably, humans were telling time from shadow-lengths at an even earlier date, but this is hard to verify. In roughly 700 BC, the Old Testament describes a sundial - the "dial of Ahaz" mentioned in Isaiah 38:8 and II Kings 20:11 - which was likely of Egyptian or Babylonian design. Sundials are believed to have existed in China since ancient times, but very little is known of their history.
The ancient Greeks developed many of the principles and forms of the sundial. Sundials are believed to have been introduced into, the Greeks sundials were initially derived from the Babylonian counterparts. The Greeks were well-positioned to develop the science of sundials, having founded the science of geometry, and in particular discovering the conic sections that are traced by a sundial nodus. The Romans adopted the Greek sundials, so much so that Plautus complained in one of his plays about his day being "chopped into pieces" by the ubiquitous sundials.
This beautiful hand made item comes in a Golden Sunlight finish. Indoor / outdoor use. Because this item is made by hand, please allow for a slight color variation. |
