Time Telling Throughout the Ages

By Jennifer_Galvan
  • 3000 BCE

    Obelisks

    Used by Egyptians to tell time, the sun would cast a shadow
  • 520 BCE

    Time Candles

    Time candles were used in China and time was based on how much of the wick had burned
  • 500 BCE

    Water clocks

    Greeks and Egyptians both used the water clock to determine the passage of time
  • 300 BCE

    Sundials

    Babylonians used the sundial and a 12 hour clock to tell time during the day
  • 1100

    Hourglass

    Europeans used this glass figure eight shaped container half filled with sand to determine the passage of time.
  • Period: 1300 to

    Mechanical to Analog Clocks

    Mechanical clocks used weights and balances, eventually pendulums were added and the accuracy also improved over the years.

  • International Date Line

    The prime meridian was determined to be located in England and all time moves back from that point using the 24 hour clock.

  • Greenwich Mean Time

    Time zones were created in order to record times in a more scientific manner.

  • Daylight Savings Time

    Used in Canada, the United States and France to give more daylight hours for work during the fall season.

  • Digital Clocks

    Uses quartz crystal and batteries and keeps very accurate time, also used in watches

  • Universal Time Coordinate

    Most accurate system of time telling and used for the entire planet, starting in the U.S. in the GMT zone.