Clepsydra of the Bronze Age from the Central Donbass

Abstract

In the article presents the results of the multidisciplinary study conducted with the help of archaeological, physical and astronomical methods. The aim of the study was to analyze and interpret marks and drawings applied to the surface of the vessel of the Bronze Age (Srubna culture) found near the Staropetrovsky village in the northeast of the Donetsk region (the Central Donbass). The carried out calculations and measurements possible to prove that Staropetrovsky vessel is the most ancient water clock, discovered on the territory of Europe, and have approximately the same age as the oldest known ancient Egyptian water clock. Such vessels - water clocks were needed for Srubna population to rituals related to the determined time of day and to mark sundial, which had recently been discovered in the Northern Black Sea Coast. Staropetrovsky vessel has a marks of heliacal rising of Sirius and it is an ancient astronomical auxiliary instrument for determining the time at night.

Keywords

• clay vessel
• marks
• srubna culture
• water clock
• clepsydra
• modeling
• mina
• vessel nou
• astronomical instrument
• archaeoastronomy