Plumb-bobs and plumb-lines are associated with several creation gods. It was their ‘workhorse’ tool.” (5) The Romans had devices called “groma,” that used the plumb-line’s perfect verticality to plan out their perfectly square towns. They exploited all the possibilities of the bob, using it for astronomy, navigation, surveying, and building. The Egyptians employed plumb tools in their sighting and leveling instruments, and as a way to continue distances vertically. In ancient Egypt “lumb bobs were appreciated for their ability to furnish a true vertical line. Plumb-lines are among the earliest tools to be used by humans, and, along with simple devices such as water levels, are associated with architect deities, including the Judeo-Christian God, who was sometimes referred to as The Great Architect (4). (2) To plumb something, as in the saying “To Plumb the Depths,” is related to plummet, and also refers to soundings done by sailors investigating the depths of the seas. (1) The word “plummet” is from the Old French word plomet, and refers to soundings taken by using plumb-lines. “Aplomb” was taken directly from French, and literally means “on the plumb-line,” referring to the plumb-line’s perfect verticality. Several words in the English language are derived from the plumb-bob, including aplomb, plummet, and to plumb. A plumb-line is a building tool made up of a heavy lead weight suspended from a string and was used to determine whether or not a structure is “plumb” (vertical), or to keep instruments centered over survey markers.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |