Before electricity, however, the candle had diverse uses.
And their wax could be used to seal correspondence for privacy or official approval.
Thecandle clockis an ancient technology.
Photo:Stock Photosfrom NATALIMA/Shutterstock
The first recorded reference was in 520 CE in a Chinese poem by You Jiangu.
He described six uniform candles of equal weight and thicknesseach 12 inches tall.
The candles were marked in sections of one inch.
A German candle clock, known as a Kerzenuhr. (Photo: de:Benutzer:Flyout viaWikimedia Commons,CC BY-SA 3.0)
Each inch took 20 minutes to burn and an entire candle lasted 4 hours.
Other early references to candle clocks exist in Japan during the first millennium CE.
Through markings, candles could be subdivided for more incremental measurements of the passing of time.
The candle clock of Al-Jazari, 1206. Illustrated by Farruk ibn Abd al-Latif in 1315 CE, and dated Ramadan 715. (Photo:Wikimedia Common, Public domain)
In addition to indicating the time, the candles could also serve asalarm clocks.
A German candle clock, known as a Kerzenuhr.
This advanced system was just one of the inventor’s clockshe also designed water-based clocks which tracked astrological movements.
A portable sun dial, known as an angbu ilbu or an angbu iryeong, with compass. Made in 1871 during the Joseon Period in Korea. (Photo: National Museum of Korea viaWikimedia Common,Korea Open Government License Type I: Attribution)
The candle clock of Al-Jazari, 1206.
Illustrated by Farruk ibn Abd al-Latif in 1315 CE, and dated Ramadan 715.
There are also methods which appear much earlier in the historical record.
A table alarm clock of steel, brass, and walnut. The alarm uses gunpowder placed in channels to produce an alarm. German, circa 1595-1605. (Photo:© The Trustees of the British Museum,CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
The ancient Egyptians used water clocks and sun dials as early as 1500 BCE.
Known asclepsydra, varieties of water clocks were also used by Indigenous peoples in the Americas and Africa.
A portable sun dial, known as an angbu ilbu or an angbu iryeong, with compass.
A navicula de Venetiis (“little ship of Venice”), an altitude dial used to tell time. This example is from the 18th century. (Photo: Rama viaWikimedia Commons,CC BY-SA 3.0 FR)
Made in 1871 during the Joseon Period in Korea.
As mechanical clocks were further developed, clock makers used clever innovations to produce alarms at set times.
Some clocks used gunpowder and fuses to create a loud noise at a certain triggered time.
A spring-driven alarm clock featuring an alarm driven by a standing barrel. “As alarm sounds a flint-lock mechanism is released to light a candle which then springs into upright position.” Made in Austria, circa 1715. (Photo:The Trustees of the British Museum,CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
Others used lightsprings operated to pop up a lit candle.
Much like the candle clock, these solutions sound very much like fire hazards to the modern sensibility.
A table alarm clock of steel, brass, and walnut.
The alarm uses gunpowder placed in channels to produce an alarm.
German, circa 1595-1605.
Calculations of altitude or position were instead used to approximate time.
A medieval instrument which was used through the 18th century was thenavicula de Venetiis.
This curved sundial measures the angle of the sun above the horizon in any time of year.
On theship-shaped dialwere markings which correlated this solar position to the time.
A navicula de Venetiis (little ship of Venice), an altitude dial used to tell time.
This example is from the 18th century.
A spring-driven alarm clock featuring an alarm driven by a standing barrel.
As alarm sounds a flint-lock mechanism is released to light a candle which then springs into upright position.
Made in Austria, circa 1715.
