When was the world's first clock made?

To discuss the birth of the "world's first clock," we must make a fundamental distinction between timekeeping devices in general and mechanical clocks as we understand them today.

Ancient Time Measurers (Non-Mechanical)

The need to measure time is very ancient and has led to the development of various instruments:

1. Sundials (Sundials): These were among the first and most widespread instruments. Based on the shadow cast by a gnomon (a rod) by the sun, they indicated the time of day. They were used since ancient Egypt (circa 3500 BC) and Babylon. Limitations: They only worked during the day and with the sun.
   
   
   

2. Hourglasses (Water Clocks): Probably invented in Egypt (around 1500 BC), they measured time through the controlled flow of water between two vessels. They were more versatile than sundials because they could also function at night or under overcast conditions. More complex versions were developed by the Greeks and Romans.

3. Sand Clocks: Similar to hourglasses but using fine sand, they offer a more compact measurement that is less affected by variations in water pressure or temperature. Their popularity dates back to the Middle Ages.

4. Candle Clocks: Used in China, Japan, and the Middle East, these were candles with engraved markings that indicated the passage of time as the wax burned.

The Birth of the Mechanical Clock

The real revolution that led to clocks as we know them, with gears and a regulating mechanism, occurred in the European Middle Ages.

• 11th-13th Century: Early Theoretical Developments: There were ideas and descriptions of mechanisms based on weights and gears to move hands. Monks and scholars in Europe were seeking more precise ways to mark the hours of prayer.

• Late 13th - Early 14th Century: The Birth of the "True" Mechanical Clock: There is no single date or inventor. The first mechanical clocks were enormous machines, installed in church towers or public buildings.

  • The first public mechanical clocks are believed to have appeared in Europe between the late 13th and early 14th centuries (e.g. in Italy, England).
  • These clocks used an escapement mechanism (initially verge and foliot), which was the key to transforming the continuous motion of a falling weight into a regular oscillating motion, allowing uniform time intervals to be measured.
  • One of the oldest and most significant public clocks, although modified over time, is the clock in Salisbury Cathedral (built around 1386).

• Significance: These early mechanical clocks didn't yet have dials with hands like today, but instead told the time with bells. Their accuracy was very limited (they could be off by hours a day!), but they represented a giant step forward compared to previous methods.

In short, while the first instruments for "reading" time are as old as civilization, the first "clock" in the mechanical sense of the term emerged in European towers between the late 13th and early 14th centuries, marking the beginning of a new era in timekeeping.