Astrolabe Catalogue

 

Front of astrolabe without rete or plates. Click to enlarge
Date 1682 (A.H. 1093)
Maker Qāsim ‘Alī Qā’inī
Place Persia
Material Brass
Inventory no. 45509
Acquisition Presented by J. A. Billmeir in 1957

Throne

The throne is of the indo-persian, broad type . The throne is attached with a integrated base. Plain throne, marked with only a single vertical line.

Ring

.

Shackle

Shackle of the trefoil type. Closed trefoil shackle that attaches to the throne via a pin.

Mater

The mater and limb are of one-piece construction. The tab on the inside of this limb, used to hold the tympans in place, is set about 2° too far to the right. Consequently, the tympans are rotated about 2° from the meridian. Scales on the limb:
Type Range & Units Numbered Geometry Location
Degree 0 - 360 Degrees of arc Every 5 degrees Circular, concentric outer

Womb


The gazeteer in this womb appears incomplete. Further, the maker or former owner began engraving something within the inner circle of the gazeteer, which was then scratched out. The womb contains a gazetteer with coordinates for 39 cities:
City
(on instrument)
Translation
(when known)
Longitude Latitude Inhiraf Jihat
مكه Mecca 77°20 21°40
مدينه Medina 75°20 24°00 37°20
مصر Misr 63°20 30°20 18°14
دمشق Dimashq 70°00 35°50 25°31
حلب Halab 72°10 33°15 21°19
رى Rayy 86°20 35°00 33°26
موصل Mosul 77°00 34°30 00°40
نخجوان Nakhijewan 81°15 38°40 12°15
مراغه Maragheh 82°00 37°20 16°17
تبريز Tabriz 82°00 38°00 15°39
اردبيل Ardabil 82°30 38°00 14°24
بردعه Barda‘ah 83°00 40°30 36°14
كوفه Kufa 79°30 31°30 21°01
بغداد Baghdad 82°00 33°25 21°13
بصره Basr 84°00 30°00 36°14
شيراز Shiraz 88°00 29°36 33°26
يزد Yazd 89°00 32°00 48°28
طوس Ṭus 92°30 37°00 45°06
اصفهان Iṣfahan 86°40 32°25 40°31
كشان Kashan 86°00 34°00 34°33
سمنان Semnan 88°00 36°00 36°17
بسطام Bastam 89°30 36°10 40°32
سبزوار Sabzawar 91°30 36°05 44°03
نيشابور Nishapur 92°30 36°21 46°22
هراة Herat 94°20 34°35 50°26
مرو Marw 96°00 36°40 12°32
بلخ Balkh 101°00 36°41 12°13
بخارا Bukhara 97°30 39°50 49°15
سمرقند Samarqand 99°36 39°36 12°13
ملتان Multan 107°35 29°40 82°15
كشمير Kashmir 108°00 35°00 72°19
هرموز Hormoz 92°00 25°00 75°14
قنداهر Qandahar 107°40 33°00 71°45
لاهور Lahore 109°20 31°50
كابل Kabul 104°40 34°30
دهلى Dehli 113°35 28°29
بانارس Banaras 107°20 26°15
سراىديب Sarandīb 130°00 10°00
ختن Khotan 107°00 42°00
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