Astrolabe Catalogue

 

Date 1480/1 (A. H. 885)
Maker Mūsa
Place Syria (?)
Material Brass
Inventory no. 49687
Acquisition Purchased at Sotheby's, London, in 1962
There is one plate .

Latitude N/A


The 'tympan' on this instrument is, in fact, the globe on which the almucantars and azimuths have been engraved and over which the cage-style rete rotates. In other words, the tympan is the body of the instrument. The body of the instrument is hollow and screws together at the equatorial line. The meridian line, in the northern hemisphere, is punctuated with holes that were used to hold the rete in place at a given latitude. A simple pin would have passed through the hole in the rete and provided the axis of rotation through the pole of the ecliptic. Inscribed:
Transcription Translation Notes Type
عمل موسى سنة ص ف ه The work of Mūsa. Year 885 This is damascened into the southern hemisphere of the globe.. Maker's signature
المشرق East Damascened just below the equator.. Direction
المغرب West Damascened just below the equator.. Direction
الجنوب South Damascened just below the equator.. Direction
الشمال North Damascened just below the equator.. Direction
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