He was said to have invented carpentry and it’s tools the saw, ax, augur, glue, and the plumb-line. Daedalus is probably the most well-known architect from mythology – most people have heard of the tale of Daedalus and his doomed son, Icarus. Ptah brought things into being with his thoughts, and “ccording to the priests of Memphis, everything is the work of Ptah's heart and tongue: gods are born, towns are founded, and order is maintained.” (7)Īnother archetypal architect figure is Daedalus (meaning “ingenious,” or “clever”). One of the oldest gods associated with the plumb-bob and plumb-line is Ptah, the Egyptian god creator god his signs were the ankh (life) and the djed (stability). This is a mental creation, however, from a god of the intellect creation by one of the architect gods was a matter of thought, and language. 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.

To this day, they can found in tool boxes all over the world.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. This is where it got it's name.'Plumbum” is Latin for lead.Īs time progressed they were made from bronze and other metals. They were used by the Babylonians, the ancient Egyptians, the ancient Greeks and the Romans to make accurate vertical lines when building or marking the points of stars and planets.Įarly plumb bobs were made of stone and hardwood. There is evidence that plumb-bobs have been in use since the dawn of civilization. A friend gave this to me, knowing I collect old tools There is no marking and it's a little crudely made. I'm not sure who made the other plumb bob. They really don't have a lot of value, but they are still useful. Anyone who has seen my posts, know that I love old tools.

Ancient plumb bob