Before the advent of clocks, among the devices used to figure out time was the hourglass which is illustrated as early as 1338. They became an important part of a ship's navigation equipment and a way to tell the time as the hours would be counted after noon when the sun was at its highest. It was also used to time church sermons and factory work before its more common use as an aid to cooking, especially for eggs! This example probably dates to the 18th century and stands some 6½ inches high.