How Do Analog Clocks Work?
The Clock Through Time Water clock tower of Su Song The familiar sound of a clock ticking has been an integral part of human history since approximately 4000 BCE. These ancient clocks did not feature the analog clock face we have become familiar with. Rather they were massive structures that featured some kind of water-gathering device. This device, more often than not, was a wheel driven by a nearby body of water. As long as the water flowed, the clock kept time. Though the ancient Egyptians and Babylonians used water clocks as recently as 1500 BCE, the archaeological evidence indicates the civilizations in China and India were using the same technology as early as 4000 BCE. Synchronized Oscillators The Salisbury Cathedral Clock. The Salisbury Cathedral clock in England was constructed in 1386 and remains the oldest continually working clock in history. It is a rope and pulley clock, with each hour resetting a massive weight that strikes the bells. Though a far cry from the analog clo
