It is surely more than coincidence that the beginning of a new millennium is being accompanied by renewed interest in sundials instruments used to measure time according to the position of the sun A hundred years ago they were a vital timekeeping device essential for anyone who hoped to keep their clocks working accurately Then as clocks and watches became more sophisticated and reliable the sundial was relegated to the status of garden ornament  a romantic and intriguing ornament but nonetheless an anachronism in a brave new technological age Now the clock has been turned back and they are again being taken seriously