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The Indus Valley water clock was an early timekeeping device thought to have been used in the Indus Valley Civilization (c. 2600–1900 BCE). Archaeological findings at Mohenjo-daro include ceramic vessels with small holes in the side and a tapered base, which some scholars interpret as evidence of a clepsydra or water-based time-measuring tool.^[1][2]

The interpretation of certain Mohenjo-daro pots as water clocks is based on their uniform size, narrow necks, and side perforations, which would have allowed water to flow at a steady rate. Comparable devices are described in later Vedic literature, including the Vedanga Jyotisha, which refers to time units such as the nadika (approximately 24 minutes) measured using a ghati or kapala — terms for water-filled bowls used in timing rituals.^[3]

By the early medieval period, more elaborate Indian water clocks were in use. Historical accounts of Nalanda University describe a floating copper bowl with a small hole in its base. As water entered the bowl, it gradually sank, striking a gong or drum to mark the passage of each interval.^[4]

The Indus Valley water clock is considered one of the earliest known time-measuring instruments in South Asia, predating similar devices in other parts of the world. Its development reflects the sophisticated understanding of measurement and planning in the ancient Indus culture, particularly in urban management, religious rituals, and astronomy.^[5]

Water clock History of timekeeping devices History of measurement systems in India

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