Surveyor's wheel, Amsterdam, 1725 - 1775
Inv V09616

The first great trunk roads were built by the Romans. When they built them they wanted to know what distance was being covered. They were probably the first to use surveyor's wheels for the purpose. But as late as the eighteenth century surveyor's wheels were still much in use. The reason for this was connected in the first instance with making better maps. In addition when the polders were being made the exact distance had to be known. They were also used to divide up the plots of the "new" polderland.When this surveyor's wheel has made one revolution, it has covered a distance of 1 Rijnland rod(that is 3.77 m). Near the handle is a counter that looks like the dial of a clock. When the large hand on it has made one revolution, a distance of 1500 Rijnland rods has been covered. That is 5.7 km, in other words: an hour's walk.