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Islamic Water Clocks

Type Object Region Persia Time c. 800

Highly precise water clocks developed in Persia and the Islamic world after about the 8th century CE, featuring float regulation, valve linkages, and…

Timeline

  1. c. 850–870Baghdad · Persian cultural sphereThe Persian scholars Banū Mūsā brothers described in their Book of Ingenious Devices a complex water clock with float valves, cranks, and automatic figurines to announce the hours, marking the systematic peak of hydraulic timekeeping in the Islamic world.
  2. c. 1200–1300Northern Mesopotamia · PersiaIbn al-Jazarī further designed various elephant water clocks and automatic time-striking devices, controlling water flow and mechanical performances through cam linkages, and influenced the Mediterranean world through his writings and artisan transmission.

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