Astrolabe Catalogue

Throne, Ring and Shackle

The throne is of the simple, engraved type made of brass attached with integrated base made of brass and has a simple, squared cross-section ring made of brass and omega type shackle made of brass . More information

Mater

The mater and limb are of one-piece construction. The plates are held in place by a post located on the meridian line, just above the bottom of the instrument. Scales on the limb: degree scale. More information

Back

The back contains 0 scales. The back is inscribed: with a maker's signature marked as هذه الاصطرلاب العبد الفقير الى الله الغفار في سنة تسع ماية احدى عشر شمس الدين محمد صفار (Of this astrolabe the servant in need of God the forgiving, Shams ad-Dīn Muḥammad Ṣaffār in the year nine hundred and eleven.). Lower half of back. with a scale label marked as ظل الأصابع عمد ظل الأقدام مديد (The shadow of the fingers is vertical / The shadow of the feet is extended.). Upside down within the shadow square. More information

Rete, Pin & Horse

The rete contains 0 stars. The rete contains zoomorphs: the star pointer for vega is a small bird
The rete is attached using a pin & horse. The pin is far too long, suggesting that this is a later replacement. It is also possible that the horse is a replacement, for a thicker horse would take up the slack in the pin. More information

Rules & Alidades

Type	Details
Alidade	Double-ended. The alidade is quite unusual by being constructed out of two intersecting rules. One is curved slightly and has a single sighting vane. The other is more typical, straight and with two sighting vanes.

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