Nilometer

On the island at our right was the machine they call the Nilometer, a stone-column whose business it is to mark the rise of the river and prophecy whether it will reach only thirty-two feet and produce a famine, or whether it will properly flood the land at forty and produce plenty, or whether it will rise to forty-three and bring death and destruction to flocks and crops -- but how it does all this they could not explain to us so that we could understand.

The Innocents Abroad — Volume 06 Mark Twain 1872

On the island at our right was the machine they call the Nilometer, a stone-column whose business it is to mark the rise of the river and prophecy whether it will reach only thirty-two feet and produce a famine, or whether it will properly flood the land at forty and produce plenty, or whether it will rise to forty-three and bring death and destruction to flocks and crops -- but how it does all this they could not explain to us so that we could understand.

The Innocents Abroad Mark Twain 1872

Secondly, because it is the only case in history that we have an instrumental record of a length of so many centuries (note that the measurements are taken in a solid construction known as the Nilometer), and the record is also validated by historical evidence, which for example witness that there were long periods with consecutive (or very frequent) droughts and others with much higher water levels.

Demetris Koutsoyannis « Climate Audit 2006

The confequence of this varying and deviation was, that though, upon the whole, the quantity indicated by the Nilometer was the fame, yet nobody knew his quota, or what proportion of the whole was drawn from the property of each individual; as for this they were obliged to apply to actual menfuration,

Travels to discover the source of the Nile, in the years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, and 1773 1790

One Ugandan "Nilometer" measuring the river's ever-varying level shows the river below the lowest recordable mark.

Longest River, Wide Adventure 2010

Mr. Hawass said the remains of a fifth century A.D. church and a Nilometer had been uncovered during routine excavations at the Avenue of Sphinxes.

A Bid to Reclaim Egyptian Antiquities 2010

Al – Rauzah263 and the Nilometer, where they abode a whole month, eating and drinking and hearing music and making merry.

The Book of The Thousand Nights And A Night 2006

There were, however, enjoyable days, sometimes longer periods; in January the Queen took Philopator out of his shed and sailed down Nilus to the First Cataract, even though it was not the right season to inspect the Nilometer.

Antony and Cleopatra Colleen McCullough 2007

There were, however, enjoyable days, sometimes longer periods; in January the Queen took Philopator out of his shed and sailed down Nilus to the First Cataract, even though it was not the right season to inspect the Nilometer.

Antony and Cleopatra Colleen McCullough 2007

Near the extremity of the pier which forms the harbour of Assouan is a square aperture as low as the river, with steps at the bottom, by which the rise of the water might have been easily determined; it now bears the name of Mekyas, (Nilometer).

Travels in Nubia 2004