Dear Chris,
it is difficult for me to answer to your question, since it is not gnomonic but
philosophical .
Perhaps the thing depends on the fact that the ancients used the unequal
hours from dawn to sunset and therefore they called first hour the
first part of the day and last hour (hour 11) the last part of the day
(before sunset).
Perhaps it depends on the fact that to make an addition is easier than to
make a subtraction :-)
Let us suppose that I am an ancient Roman and that, after having gotten up
from bed at dawn, I have decided to go to the thermal baths with my friends
after three hours and to lunch with my wife after 7 hours ( obviously unequal
hours ).
Perhaps it is for me more easy and handy to tell the friends "we'll see at
the third hour" (that is within 3 hours) and to my wife "get lunch ready at
the seventh hour" (that is within 7 hours).
Perhaps it would create confusion if I said "we'll see at ninth hour (12-3)"
to say that I wait for them within 3 hours and to say "get lunch ready at
the fifth hour (12-7) ", to explain that I want to eat within 7 hours.
Perhaps there is not explanation as to the fact that in England you keep to
the left side of the road and in continental Europe we keep to the right
(however here the trains run on the left track ! )
:-)
Best regards
Gianni Ferrari
----- Original Message -----
From: Chris Lusby Taylor
To: sundial List ; Willy Leenders
Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2007 1:40 AM
Subject: Re: Italian hours
Could you not, just as logically, ask why clocks, watches and normal sundials
don't indicate directly the time left until midnight?
Chris Lusby Taylor
51.4N, 1.3W
----- Original Message -----
From: Willy Leenders
To: sundial List
Sent: Monday, May 07, 2007 11:36 AM
Subject: Italian hours
Italian hours are counted from sunset. One has to take its complement from
24 to know the time left until suntime.
Why sundials with Italian hours do'nt indicate directly the result of this
calculation? Is there a practical or historical reason?
Willy LEENDERS
Hasselt in Flanders (Belgium)
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