It has been some time since an entry was made in “History of Time …” so let’s start where we left off last with the advent of “unmanned” time.  Before we move forward with the technical developments of time, it is equally interesting to understand the socio-economic forces that were at work during this gestational period of keeping track of time.  It seems like most people imagine that in the late 12^th early 13^th century that there were all these independent artisans slaving away at their benches trying to solve the riddle of keeping track of time.  Well, nothing could be farther from the truth.  The general population really had little use for tracking time other than the obvious sunrise, sunset, and meal times.  It was really “the Church” that had an interest in the precision operating day.  During the Middle Ages, monasteries were instrumental in time automation.  Monks and nuns spent countless hours praying for the salvation of the general population (that’s you and me LOL) and therefore measuring time took on an importance that led to more precise time keeping … most notably the need to have “manned” time whereby someone had to turn an hour glass or watch a candle burn became history.  You just never know where time may lead you … it is not always what it seems !!!