Medieval Pocket Sundial Found in Germany Provides ‘Spotlight Like Insight’ Into People’s Knowledge in Astronomy, Mathematics

A rare medieval pocket sundial was found during a dig in Germany. According to a report, it belonged to a religious community and offered a peak of the people's knowledge about astronomy and mathematics way back then.

Rare Medieval Pocket Sundial in Germany

According to a statement from Marburg University, students were digging a church site in the town when they discovered the sundial, which is approximately the size of a matchbox. The sundial is constructed of bronze and wood, Newsweek reported.

It gave a "spotlight-like insight" into what individuals knew about astronomy and mathematics at the period, as well as their skill with tools, according to Professor Dr. Felix Teichner of the Department of History and Cultural Studies at the Philipps University of Marburg.

There aren't many of these sundials left; the professor told the regional news source, Hessens Chau.

Archaeologists compared the unusual find with a similar one discovered by archaeologists in a Swiss ministry to identify the artifact. According to Teichner, they still don't know why the sundial was discovered in the specific location.

He added that they were digging at the church's potential garbage dump and found a lot of stuff. They had to examine them first to identify them.

The old clock, which is thought to be from the late medieval era, is thought to have belonged to the Brethren of the Common Life, a monastic order that was founded in the Netherlands in the late 14th century. The Brethren later moved to the Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland. They settled in the old monastery structure from 1527, situated in the upper part of Marburg.

It was the first time such a thing had been discovered in the German state of Hesse. The site is still being excavated in the hopes of finding additional priceless artifacts. Anything else found could offer more information about this era and possibly shed more light on the sundial's genesis.

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What's a Sundial?

Time has traditionally been measured by variations in the lengths and orientations of shadows cast by objects in the light. Sundials have been around since at least 1500 BCE. Early models were created in China, Babylon, and Egypt, according to the National Museum of American History.

They started to appear in public spaces, on church walls, in wealthy people's gardens, and observatories. When time zones covering a range of longitudes were first introduced in the late 1800s, the length of the day changed depending on a location's latitude and the time of year, while the hour depended on the local longitude.

Portable sundials have existed since ancient times, and by the 1600s, some Europeans were carrying pocket-sized sundials. Both the compass and the sundial are mathematical devices that offer precise methods for determining time and location, according to Katy Barrett, a museum volunteer.

Due to economic competition and the need for precise navigation that resulted from the discovery of the Americas and the growth of international trade in the sixteenth century, mathematical procedures were improved. Thus, the search for precise, scientific methods of determining time and place began.

Navigation tools are utilized to take measurements and operate according to a mathematical principle. Additionally, they are used for timekeeping, navigation, surveying, and astronomy and are together referred to as mathematical instruments.

The creation of the Royal Society in England in the seventeenth century played a significant role in the development of accurate scientific instruments, as well as in the division and classification of that instrumentation.