Archaeoastronomy and Ancient Technologies 2021, 9(1), 73-86
DOI: 10.24412/2310-2144-2021-9-1-73-86
Sundial-water clock of the Bronze Age (Northern Black Sea Region)
Vodolazhskaya L.N.1, Novichikhin A.M. 2, Nevsky M.Yu. 3
1Southern Federal University (SFU), str. Zorge, 5, Rostov-on-Don, 344090, Russian Federation; E-mails: larisavodol@aaatec.org, larisavodol@gmail.com
2Anapa Archaeological Museum, Naberezhnaya st., 4, Anapa, 353410, Russian Federation; E-Mail: yazamat10@yandex.ru
3Southern Federal University (SFU), str. Zorge, 5, Rostov-on-Don, 344090, Russian Federation; E-mails: mnevsk@gmail.com, munevsky@sfedu.ru
Abstract
This article presents the results of a study of signs on a Bronze Age slab discovered in the vicinity of a heavily plowed mound near the settlement of Pyatikhatki. The slab belongs to the Dolmen archaeological culture. In the course of this research, it was proved that the Pyatikhatki slab is a unique measuring tool, that combines elements of sundial and water clock. It has all the cup marks of an analemmatic sundial, except for the presence of a precise analemma, which at that time, it seems, could not yet be built. The vertical gnomon moved only along the north-south line, and the time was determined approximately. Most likely, this was due to the lack of accuracy in measuring time using the water clock of that era. It is possible that it was their imperfection that was the incentive for the development of a new type of watch - a sundial, which would allow measuring time over a long period with a higher accuracy.
Keywords: cup marks, hour markers, grooves, mound, slab, analemmatic sundial, water clock, noon line, hour line, declination, mean solar time, true solar time
Full Text: Download pdf (English)
References
Feifert, 2015 – Feifert, A.V. [Petroglyphs on the territory of the Rostov region]. Rostov-on-Don, Publishing house: GAUK RO "Don Heritage", 2015.
Larenok, 1998 – Larenok, P.A. Kurgannye mogil'niki Tavriya 1–3. [Burial mounds Tavria 1–3]. Kurgany Severo-Vostochnogo Priazov'ya: Katalog: (Neklinovskij i Matveevo-Kurganskij rajony Rostovskoj oblasti). Materialy i issledovaniya Taganrogskoj arxeologicheskoj e'kspedicii. [Burial mounds of the North-Eastern Azov region: Catalog: (Neklinovsky and Matveyevo-Kurgan districts of the Rostov region). Materials and research of the Taganrog archaeological expedition]. Vol. III. TGLIAMZ. TAE: Rostov-on-Don, 1998.
Novichikhin, 1995 – Novichikhin, A.M. Plity s chashevidnymi uglubleniyami iz rajona Anapy. [Plates with cupped depressions from the Anapa region]. Istoriko-arxeologicheskij al'manax. [Historical and archaeological almanac], Issue 1. Armavir, 1995, p. 25-27.
Polidovych, Usachuk, 2013 - Polidovych, Yu.B.; Usachuk, A.N. Stone slabs with images of the Late Bronze Age from the kurgan complexes in Eastern Ukraine. Archaeoastronomy and Ancient Technologies 2013, 1(1), 53-67.
Polidovich, Usachuk, 2015 – Polidovich, Yu.B.; Usachuk, A.N. Dve naxodki kamennyx plit s izobrazheniem v pogrebeniyax srubnoj obshhnosti na territorii Vostochnoj Ukrainy. [Two finds of stone slabs depicting in the burials of the logging community on the territory of Eastern Ukraine]. Drevnij Turgaj i Velikaya Step': chast' i celoe. [Ancient Turgai and the Great Steppe: part and whole]. Kostanay-Almaty. 2015.
Polidovich, Usachuk, Kravchenko, Podobed, 2013 – Polidovich, Yu.B.; Usachuk, A.N.; Kravchenko, E.E.; Podobed, V.A. Issledovaniya kurganov gruppy Popov Yar-2 v Doneckoj oblasti. [Research of the mounds of the Popov Yar-2 group in the Donetsk region]. Arxeologicheskij al'manax. [Archaeological almanac]. Vol. 30. Donetsk: "Donbas", 2013.
Savoie, 2009 - Savoie D. Sundials design construction and use. Springer, 2009.
Vodolazhskaya, 2013 - Vodolazhskaya, L.N. Analemmatic and horizontal sundials of the Bronze Age (Northern Black Sea Coast). Archaeoastronomy and Ancient Technologies 2013, 1(1), 68–88.
Vodolazhskaya, Larenok, Nevsky, 2014 - Vodolazhskaya L.N., Larenok P.A., Nevsky M.Yu., 2014. Ancient astronomical instrument from Srubna burial of kurgan field Tavriya-1 (Northern Black Sea Coast). Archaeoastronomy and Ancient Technologies 2014, 2(2), 31-53.
Vodolazhskaya, Larenok, Nevsky, 2016a - Vodolazhskaya L.N., Larenok, P.A.; Nevsky, M.Yu. The prototype of ancient analemmatic sundials (Rostov Oblast, Russia). Archaeoastronomy and Ancient Technologies 2016, 4(1), 96-116.
Vodolazhskaya, Larenok, Nevsky, 2016b - Vodolazhskaya, L.N.; Larenok, P.A.; Nevsky, M.Yu. Image of inverted World Tree on the stone slab and vessels of the Bronze Age. Archaeoastronomy and Ancient Technologies 2016, 4(1), 150-168.
Vodolazhskaya, Usachuk, Nevsky, 2015 - Vodolazhskaya L.N., Usachuk A.N., Nevsky M.Yu. Clepsydra of the Bronze Age from the Central Donbass. Archaeoastronomy and Ancient Technologies 2015, 3(1), 65-87.
