Sundial-water clock of the Bronze Age (Northern Black Sea Region)

TL;DR

This study analyzes a Bronze Age slab from the Northern Black Sea Region, revealing it as a unique combined sundial and water clock, illustrating early innovations in time measurement tools.

Contribution

It identifies a rare Bronze Age artifact that integrates sundial and water clock features, highlighting early technological development in timekeeping.

Findings

The slab functions as a combined sundial and water clock.

It features analemmatic sundial elements without a precise analemma.

The device likely aimed to improve time measurement accuracy.

Abstract

This article presents the results of a study of signs on a Bronze Age slab discovered in the vicinity of a heavily plowed mound near the settlement of Pyatikhatki. The slab belongs to the Dolmen archaeological culture. In the course of this research, it was proved that the Pyatikhatki slab is a unique measuring tool, that combines elements of sundial and water clock. It has all the cup marks of an analemmatic sundial, except for the presence of a precise analemma, which at that time, it seems, could not yet be built. The vertical gnomon moved only along the north-south line, and the time was determined approximately. Most likely, this was due to the lack of accuracy in measuring time using the water clock of that era. It is possible that it was their imperfection that was the incentive for the development of a new type of watch - a sundial, which would allow measuring time over a long period with a higher accuracy.