The sexagesimal system
The Sumerians looked to the sky when they invented the time system:
When we consider the chronological system that we use even today, we find that its origins go back to ancient times, and in particular to the Sumerian creators. In their distant era, they had a unique view of the heavens, and held a belief that numbers and cosmic organization could play a decisive role in determining time.
The Sumerians were one of the oldest civilizations in the region between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers in what is today southern Iraq. They divided the movements of the sky into countable intervals, and found that the number 60 was ideal for this purpose. 60 can be divided into many numbers, making counting and division easier.
In addition, the Sumerians believed that there were 360 days in a year, a number that could be perfectly integrated into the time system they were developing. This number can be easily divided into different numbers, making it easy to use in calendars and time calculations.
Despite the extinction of the Sumerian Empire and the transformation of many civilizations throughout history, the influence of the Sumerians on the system of time still exists today. This sexagesimal understanding of time continues into the systems of time units we use, which are the hour being divided into 60 minutes and the minute into 60 seconds. This great influence of the Sumerians is the best evidence of the continued influence of ancient civilizations on our daily lives
The Sumerians looked to the sky when they invented the time system... and we still use it today! One might find it strange to divide hours into 60 minutes and days into 24 hours - why not a multiple of 10 or 12? Quite simply, the answer is that the inventors of time did not work on the decimal system (base 10) or duodecimal (base 12), but rather the sexagesimal system (base 60).
For the ancient Sumerian creators who first divided the movements of the sky into countable periods, 60 was the ideal number. The number 60 can be divided into 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 15, 20, and 30 equal parts.
Furthermore, ancient astronomers believed that there were 360 days in a year, a number that could be combined into six times. The Sumerian Empire did not last. However, the world has been committed to keeping time for more than 5,000 years.
Source: websites