The Timbuktu Scholar Who Devised a Water Clock

Timbuktu: Africa's Forgotten Center of Knowledge — Fexingo History · Jun 25, 2026 · 7m · transcript

In the 16th century, while European horologists were developing mechanical clocks, a little-known scholar in Timbuktu designed an elaborate water clock. This episode explores the work of Muhammad al-Kabari, author of a treatise on timekeeping that drew on Islamic astronomical traditions and practical engineering. Lucas and Luna discuss how al-Kabari's clock used a series of bowls and siphons to measure equal hours, and how his methods reflected the deep scientific culture of Sankore. They also examine the legacy of water clocks in the Islamic world, from al-Jazari to al-Kabari, and what…