Mallorca is big on gnomonics, the art of using dials and sundials. There are plenty of sundials in Mallorca and especially, in Palma, some of which are pretty ancient. But there is more to it than meets the eye. There are moondials as well, did you know? Have you ever seen one? Moondials are time pieces similar to a sundial. An ordinary moondial is identical to a sundial but, is only accurate on the night of the full moon as there is a considerable time-lapse between the full moon dates and times, and the other days of the month.

Still, I think gnomonics and especially lunar dials are most fascinating. Farmers in Mallorca were guided by the lunar cycles in the old days and to some extent, still are to this day. And what is good for agriculture is also relevant for gardening and horticulture. You will find that some comprehensive gardening books will mention lunar cycles.

The moondial shown above is located in the Parc de la Feixina in Palma de Mallorca.

The photo was taken in Palma de Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: March 11th, 2009. The time was 08:45:46.