What is Time?

What is Time? is an interesting look at the concept of time and timekeeping (presented, of course, in a timeline).

While there are tons of fasciating moments, I find myself most drawn to the early methods of timekeeping: sundials and water clocks in particular.

In grad school, I had to take a course outside of my field of study (I was getting an MFA in Creative Writing/Poetry). The one I picked was “Technology in Greek and Roman Civilization,” and I really wish I could still track down my notes/files from that course.

There was one book in particular I remember reading for the course, and it discussed how something as basic as the concept of night vs day really changed how we interacted with the world. I really, really want to remember what the title of that book was, and who the author was.

Maybe it’s referenced in some paper I wrote, if I could only find any old Word docs somewhere in my archives. I’m half-tempted to call the OSU library to see if there’s any way they have my checkout records, or if there’s any way to track that particular book down.

// Edit: Just learned (remembered?) that there’s a giant water clock at the Indianapolis Children’s Museum.

I was in high school in 1988, so I’m not sure that I ever really saw it in person.

// Edit 2: A-ha! I’ve actually seen the clock in person! Just as an adult, not as a kid.

Related:
Time Solves All Problems
Inscriptions on Sundials (Found Poem)