Time And How We Tell It

My timeline spans the groundbreaking inventions in the way we tell time. My focus is on clocks and how they reflect our thinking as a civilization. There may have been some additions, like the atomic clock, built in 1949, and is the worlds most accurate clock to which all other clocks follow, that I’ve omitted; but, I don’t think entries such as this would find a comfortable place on the list because of its obscurity. I want to focus more on the everyday timepieces. From the ancient sundials in Egypt to the cell phone watches that are becoming reality, the look of the device used to track time has changed, but the motivation largely remains the same. The farmer and the business worker must adhere to their own particular schedules, whether it is the rooster call that signifies the beginning of the work day, or the rooster call alarm on the I-Phone. There is work to be done and the clock helps us manage it.  Towards the end of the timeline there are entries that are not merely clocks. The cellphone and computer have infinite, practical uses that I think vastly overshadows the utility of the entries preceding them (I can guess comfortably many kids in ancient Egypt tried scaling the obelisk). Multi-functionality with clocks and watches is another component that I want to explore further, whether it is timing for the forty-yard dash or a decorative piece above a mantle, they have different uses with the same principle.

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