Before your phone buzzed you awake, people used burning ropes as alarm clocks! In ancient China, around the 4th century, folks would tie knots in a rope, light one end, and let it burn slowly overnight. The knots were spaced out to mark time—when the fire reached a knot, it would burn through and drop a small weight onto a metal plate below, making a loud clang to wake you up. It was called a “fire clock,” and it was surprisingly accurate for its time.
This fiery wake-up call wasn’t just a Chinese invention—versions of it popped up in medieval Europe too. Monks used similar setups to wake up for early prayers, sometimes adding incense to the rope so the smell would rouse them gently before the clang. The ropes were often made of hemp or cotton and soaked in wax to burn at a steady rate, with each knot representing about an hour. Of course, you had to be careful not to set your house on fire while you slept!
It’s a wild reminder of how creative people got before electricity. Next time your alarm goes off, be glad you’re not relying on a flaming rope to start your day—it’s a curious history fact that’ll make you appreciate your snooze button. Share this with your friends and come back for more on Factfizz!
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