Sundials
Origin: The origin of the sundial is unknown. The oldest sundials in museums today date from 1500 B.C. It is thought that they were first used as a tool for man as he hunted. When he went out to get food, he wanted to know when to turn back so the sunset and darkness did not catch him first.
Composition and Use: There are many types of sundials, each with distinct sizes, features, and complexities. Over time, sundials have been built that have ranged from 100 feet tall, to the size of a pocket watch. There are many types of sundials including: Inclined dials, moon dials, horizontal dials, vertical dials, and analemmatic dials. A sundial is compased of a base, which is usually either vertical or horizontal, the gnomone, which is the object that casts the shadow, and the plate, which is what the shadow falls on. There are lines on the plate of the sundial which portray the hours or time of the day, and the plate is usually either cylindrical or box shaped.
Uses Today: The use of sundials quickly faded as new time-telling devices were invented. Thousands of sundials are displayed in museums around the world. However, the most common sight of sundials today is in gardens. They are used to accent flower beds and bushes. Sundials are beautiful and enduring, and one of the most important historic factors of time.