water clock, William Tyler

Exhibition Label:
"Time/Frame," Jun-2008, Robert Fucci, Shuyun Ho, Lauren Kernes, Lara Kuykendall, Ellen C. Raimond, and Stephanie Teasley
Water clocks were the first time-keeping devices not dependant on the sun or on the earth’s rotation. Thus, water clocks could measure time during the dark, nighttime hours. By dripping water into the cylindrical container at a constant rate, the water level rises and elevates a float sitting on the surface of the water. The float is attached to a rod with notches. When the float and the rod climb, the gear rotates, moving the hands of the clock.