| Time has forever been important to man and we | | | | between them. When the hourglass was turned |
| seem to take no chances on not knowing what | | | | upside down, a measured amount of sand |
| time it is for we have clocks everywhere. When | | | | particles would stream through from the top bulb |
| did man realize there was a need to know about | | | | to the bottom bulb of glass. Today we have |
| time and why was it important? | | | | hourglass egg timers which are essentially the |
| Well, early on, man recognized there was a | | | | same thing. |
| pattern of days and seasons as they observed | | | | Another ancient method to measure time was |
| the sun's movement across the sky. Because | | | | the water clock or clepsydra. It was an evenly |
| their lives were almost entirely focused on finding | | | | marked container with a spout in which water |
| enough food to sustain themselves it was | | | | dripped out. As the water dripped out of the |
| important to use every tool they could to help | | | | container one could note by the water level |
| them in this endeavor and being able to plan their | | | | against the markings what time it was. |
| days was one of the most important things they | | | | When technology developed mechanical clocks it |
| could do. They were mostly nomadic and moved | | | | was a great step forward and clocks became a |
| with the seasons. Farming and hunting forays | | | | major product. We have clocks everywhere; on |
| were constants in their meager existence which | | | | our walls, on our desks, by our beds. And there |
| was dependent on being able to plan according to | | | | are so many kinds to choose from. Some have |
| the weather. They devised a system of laying | | | | beautiful paintings for the background, some are |
| out poles and sticks as well as larger objects in a | | | | placed within sculptures and there are those that |
| pattern that would help them track the sun's | | | | chirp or chime or bark on the hour. And. we even |
| movement and measuring the length of the | | | | buy clocks to fit into our decor; modern, |
| shadows to aid them in tracking the time. | | | | traditional, vintage. Or we have clocks that reflect |
| Centuries later, pyramids, sundials, hourglasses and | | | | our interests and hobbies or favorite sports team. |
| water clocks were some of the tools invented to | | | | You name it, there are clocks of any type you |
| track time. | | | | want or can even think of! |
| The sundial was generally a round disk marked | | | | Because of the popularity of clocks and the |
| with the hours like the hands of a clock and many | | | | variety, clocks are the perfect choice when |
| were very elaborate. Then there was the | | | | shopping for gifts. Just think of the person and |
| hourglass which was made up of two rounded | | | | you will be able to find a clock to fit! |
| glass bulbs connected by a narrow neck of glass | | | | O.K. That's all. TIME'S UP! |