The Jacob’s staff developed in the 1300s was used for this.
Farming
Measuring
Treating fevers
Torture
Surveying. The original Jacob’s Staff was invented by Levi ben Gerson, a leading Jewish mathematician of the 14th century. The pole was marked with degrees and a sliding wooden panel was used to determine altitude of the stars. The name Jacob’s staff was later applied to a support for surveyors’ compass.