How did people tell time at night before clocks? - eviltoast

The sun dial worked during daylight, but how did people agree on what time it was at night before clocks were invented?

  • PilferJynx@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    9 months ago

    Yep, quarter hours are how we normally function today. Which is fine and I wholly agree. You still need the second for that system to function though, as you can’t get that without measuring time.

    • ZephrC@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      9 months ago

      I mean, the actual length of a second is pretty arbitrary. We could use a different basic unit of time and still be fine, but I get the point you’re making. I was never trying to argue that the invention of the clock was a bad thing, just that modern society has a problem with overly precise “measurement” of things that themselves aren’t actually as consistent as the measurements.