The shadow of a standing pole served as an ancient compass and clock. By marking where its tip fell at sunrise…
The shadow of a standing pole served as an ancient compass and clock. By marking where its tip fell at sunrise and sunset, a line could be drawn to fix east and west, and a perpendicular line would give north and south.
As the seasons changed, the noon shadow lengthened and shortened. Ancient observers used these changes to track the seasons and set calendars.