By Bethany Youngblood
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| Byzantine sundial-cum-calendar http://mediumaevum.tumblr.com/post/31263384884/ byzantine-sundial-cum-calendar-5th-6th |
Gears and ancient man do not
sound like two compatible subjects for a conversation. They just don't seem to
mix within the mainstream view that ancient man lacked the intelligence to
accomplish anything we see as modern or advanced.
But is it so out of proportion to think that the
mathematical and mechanical knowledge necessary to construct something as common
to us as a clock is limited only to our modern era? In reality this knowledge
might simply be a rediscovered practice from our past. In other words, perhaps
we forgot and have now relearned how to use this mathematical and mechanical
knowledge.
Even inhabitants of the
ancient world had to keep track of time. Don't you think they could have worked
out ways to physically display it, like we do with our wristwatches today? Is
it possible that they had actual mechanical devices to measure time, not just a
sundial or an hourglass? There is fantastic evidence for just this, another
marvel of ancient man's intelligence.
