Sundials

Have you ever thought of having a Sundial in your garden ? Simon Burns-Cox is a professional Sculptor and Letter Carver who makes a range of handcarved Sundials for all types of garden and outdoor space. If you would like to discuss your requirements, please contact Simon through his website at www.simonburnscox.co.uk or contact him at [email protected] and he will be happy to help.

WHAT IS A SUNDIAL ?

A sundial is a device that is designed to tell the time of day by using the position of the sun in the sky. The sundial consists of a flat plate or dial and a gnomon which casts a shadow onto the dial.  As the Sun rises, it passes the highest point in its path (at noon and to the south, in the northern hemisphere) and then sets. The shadow rotates around the stick or gnomon in a clockwise direction and its position can be used to mark time. In addition to telling the time, sundials are also decorative objects and can look lovely in any garden or outoor space.

TYPES OF SUNDIAL

There are several different types of sundials. Some use shadow or the edge of a shadow while others use a line or spot of light to indicate the time. The time is indicated where a shadow or light falls on the dial face. This is usually inscribed with hour lines. These can be straight or curved depending on the design of the sundial. Sundials may also have different surfaces in order to receive the light or shadow. Flat horizontal surfaces are the most common. However, there are also partial spheres, cylinders, cones and other shapes which have been used for greater accuracy or beauty. By tradition, many sundials have a motto which often reflects the passing of time.

HISTORY OF SUNDIALS

Sundials have been used over the centuries in order to tell the time by using the sun. The Ancient Greeks and The Egyptians were some of the first to use the concept of a sundial by using a stick or piller called a gnomon. The first recorded use of a sundial was in Rome in 293 BC according to Pliny.

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