Old instruments
Water Clock
Direct answer
Water Clock is a timekeeping device that uses accumulated or discharged water to mark intervals or drive an indication.
Water Clock is a liquid-flow clock used in historical astronomy, timekeeping, or navigation.
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At a glance
- Found in
- Historical Almanacs & Instruments
- Related
- Pendulum Clock, Clepsydra, Hourglass, Compass Rose
Water Clock is a liquid-flow clock used in historical astronomy, timekeeping, or navigation.
An engraved functional orientation; the page explains the real instrument, method, or publication.
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The story behind Water Clock
Water clocks developed from marked bowls into elaborate regulated and automated mechanisms.
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The Book of the Sky
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Why Water Clock matters
Water Clock matters because it extends time measurement into night and indoor settings where a sundial cannot work.
Water Clock in practice: an example
A float rising with collected water can move a pointer across a time scale.
Where readings of Water Clock go wrong
Evaporation, viscosity, changing pressure head, leakage, and scale design all alter the rate.
Sources and editorial method
Research references used for this entry include:
- Royal Museums Greenwich: A Unique History of Timekeeping - Museum overview of marine chronometers, astronomical regulators, and the development of precision timekeeping.
- Source
- The Great Almanac Dictionary
- Category
- Historical Almanacs & Instruments
- Last updated
- 2026-09-26
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More in Historical Almanacs & Instruments
- Astrolabe
- Celestial Navigation
- Dioptra
- Heliometer
- Magnetic Compass
- Nocturnal Instrument
- Precession Table
- Sight Reduction
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Common questions
What is a water clock?
Water Clock is a timekeeping device that uses accumulated or discharged water to mark intervals or drive an indication.
What do people get wrong about a water clock?
Evaporation, viscosity, changing pressure head, leakage, and scale design all alter the rate.
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