The merkhet was an accurate device used in ancient Egypt to tell time and make astronomical observations. It consisted of a straight bar attached to a plumb line and was aligned with the North Star to establish a north-south meridian. Astronomers used it to map the skies and determine the time by noting when stars crossed the meridian. The merkhet allowed for more accurate scientific observations and had an effect on Egyptian mythology and cosmology. It faded from use with the development of timekeeping devices but can still be used today.
A merkhet is a device that was used in ancient Egypt for the purpose of telling the time at night. Merkhets were extremely accurate and could be used to make astronomical observations as well as keep time. Several extant merkhets are on display in museums with collections of Egyptian artifacts, and numerous Egyptian artworks depict the wearing of merkhets. It has been speculated that these tools were probably used in the construction of temples and tombs to align structures in particular ways.
The device is quite simple. A merkhet includes a straight bar attached to a plumb line, a weighted line that can be used to establish a straight vertical line to the ground. To use the merkhet, the device was aligned with the North Star and a second merkhet would be used to establish a north-south meridian. This line could be used to align a structure or as a reference point to track the movement of stars across the sky.
By noting when particular stars crossed the meridian, the user could determine the time. Astronomers also used merkhets to map the skies and to make observations, often with the assistance of a bay, a specially designed instrument used for sighting. During the day, when the stars are not visible, a sundial would have been used to mark the passing of the hours.
The word “merkhet” means “tool of knowledge” and the merkhets were certainly powerful tools for learning more about the night. Before the development of the merkhet, people relied on things like water clocks to tell the time, and their knowledge of the movements of the stars was imperfect to say the least. When the merkhet came on the scene, it allowed people to make much more accurate scientific observations, and this undoubtedly had an effect on Egyptian mythology and cosmology.
With the development of timekeeping devices that didn’t require the skills of an astronomer, the merkhet faded from use, along with such devices as the astrolabe. However, it is still possible to keep time with a merkhet, and some people enjoy making their own versions of the device as a novelty, and to get a sense of what it would have been like to work as an astronomer in Ancient Egypt. Some science museums allow people to use devices like merkhets and astrolabes in their planetariums so they can experience them firsthand.
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