Final answer:
In ancient times, people used methods such as sundials, water clocks, and observations of celestial bodies to tell the time.
Step-by-step explanation:
In ancient times before the invention of clocks, people relied on different methods to tell the time. One of the earliest methods was using the position of the Sun. They observed the movement of the Sun's shadow to determine the time of day. A sundial, which is essentially a stick or object that casts a shadow on a surface marked with hours, was commonly used. As the Sun moved across the sky, the shadow would change, indicating different hours of the day.
Another method was using water clocks, also known as clepsydra, which were invented by the ancient Egyptians and later improved by the Greeks. These clocks used the flow of water to measure time. They had containers with markings that would indicate the passage of time as water flowed from one container to another.
Additionally, some ancient cultures used other natural phenomena to tell the time. For example, the position of stars and the moon in the night sky were used by sailors for navigation and timekeeping. They would look at specific constellations or the phase of the moon to determine their location and the time.