Polyhedral Dial

The onset of the Renaissance saw an explosion of new designs for sundials, including this example of the polyhedral dial. This sundial has nine different faces, and all the dials on all the different faces show exactly the same time no matter which face is used. It is a very fine example of how science and artistry fused during the Renaissance, creating not only functional but beautiful scientific instruments.

The interest in the passage of time is partly philosophical and partly practical. Philosophically, they are learning that their method of measuring the passage of time is, ultimately, directly connected to orbital motion—either the earth's motion or the sun's motion. Whichever one is correct is a monumental concept for the populace to absorb. Practically, navigators know they need an accurate time reference to accurately determine longitude at sea. Having such a device would allow mariners to more easily reach distant lands (and potential revenue sources!) with reduced risk.