Astrolabe Catalogue

 

Small image of astrolabe rete separated from astrolabe. Click to enlarge.
Date 1227/8 (A.H. 625)
Maker ‘Abd al-Karīm al-Miṣrī
Place Cairo (?)
Material Brass
Inventory no. 37148
Acquisition Presented by Lewis Evans in 1924
The rete is of the foliate (plain) type. Part of the rete within the ecliptic has broken out and is missing. The strapwork formed an inscription that is now illegible but perhaps included the word sultan. The horizontal bar bears an inscription and date that suggests it was modified (or replaced) in the early 15th century.A bird pointer indicates Vega.The zodiac on the rete is labelled: الحمل , الثور , الجوزا , السرطان , الاسد , السنبله , الميزان , العقرب , القوس , الجدي , الدلو , الحوت

Inscriptions

The rete is inscribed
Transcription Translation Notes Type
في سنة ضكد الهجرية (...) وذصد اليزجرديةة In the year 824 of the Hijra and the year 794 of the Yazdegerd era. Inscription on right and left segments of horizontal bar Date

Stars

There are 29 stars on the rete marked with foliate pointers. Unless otherwise indicated the star name, mediation and declination are as marked/measured on the rete.
Click on the star name or modern star name to search for other astrolabes with the same star.
Star name
(on instrument)
Modern star
(if known)
Mediation Declination Pointer
مسلنطه 21.0° of Aries 72° foliate
ذنب الحوت 22.0° of Aries foliate
صدر 8.0° of Taurus -15° foliate
فم 11.0° of Taurus -1° foliate
نسر قيطس 16.0° of Taurus -18° foliate
دبران Aldebaran 4.0° of Gemini 15° foliate
عيوق Capella 11.0° of Gemini 43° foliate
رجل Rigel 14.0° of Gemini -9° foliate
يد Betelgeuse 23.0° of Gemini foliate
شعرى الينانيه Sirius 5.0° of Cancer -14° foliate
شاميه Procyon 16.0° of Cancer foliate
؟؟؟ 25.0° of Cancer -11° foliate
??? 0.0° of Leo 18° foliate
طنا ؟؟؟ 11.0° of Leo 38° foliate
فرد الشجاع Alphard 12.0° of Leo -3° foliate
قلب الاسد Regulus 21.0° of Leo 14° foliate
ساق بطن 27.0° of Leo 45° foliate
رجل Tania Borealis 3.0° of Virgo 50° foliate
اعرل 12.0° of Libra 41° foliate
رامح Arcturus 25.0° of Libra 22° foliate
عياق 27.0° of Libra 64° foliate
قاب العقرب Antares 1.0° of Sagittarius -24° foliate
واقع Vega 4.0° of Capricorn 39° foliate
فم Enif 9.0° of Aquarius foliate
؟؟قله جناح 9.0° of Aquarius 30° foliate
ذنب الجدي Deneb Algiedi 13.0° of Aquarius -19° foliate
منكب Scheat 7.0° of Pisces 28° foliate
كف الخضيب Caph 25.0° of Pisces 59° foliate
ذنب 27.0° of Pisces -10° foliate

Horse Image:

astrolabe part (photo)

Pin & Horse

The rete is attached using a pin & horse. The head of the pin resembles a flower. The horse is an accurate representation..
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