A Safavid Mecca-centred World Map
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
17th Century
Dating to 17th-century Safavid Persia, this scientific instrument is composed of an engraved brass base plate measuring 22.5 cm in diameter. The plate features a retroazimuthal cartographical grid centred on Mecca to ascertain qibla orientation and distance, accompanied by a centrally pivoted rotating brass diametrical rule.
An applied hinged sundial ring with gnomon is attached at the upper edge, supported by a hinged latitude arc, while a glazed circular recess for a compass is positioned on the lower portion. Persian inscriptions in thuluth script record poetic operating verses and name the maker as Husayn alongside the patron Sayf al-Dawlah.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Type
- Scientific instrument / sundial and qibla indicator
- Compass Well
- Glazed circular recess
- Place recorded
- Iran
- Plate Diameter
- 22.5 cm
- Inscribed Maker
- Husayn
- Sundial Assembly
- Applied hinged sundial and lateral latitude arc
- Maker / attribution
- Husayn
- Base Plate Construction
- Circular brass plate with centrally-pivoted rotating rule
Design
- Visible features
- • Circular brass base plate engraved with an elliptical coordinate grid and inscription cartouches. • Elevated hinged circular sundial ring with an integrated central gnomon. • Curved hinged latitude arc supporting the sundial ring at an angle. • Glazed circular compass well situated on the lower portion of the plate. • Centrally pivoted brass diametrical rule extending across the base plate.
- Physical Configuration
- The instrument features a circular brass base plate measuring 22.5 cm in diameter. The plate is engraved with an elliptical coordinate grid, with vertical and horizontal axes denoting longitude and latitude. The grid is surrounded by four cartouches containing inscriptions in thuluth script on stippled grounds with scrolling tendrils, while the border includes additional inscription-filled cartouches indicating bearings. Mechanical components include a centrally pivoted rotating brass diametrical rule secured by a removable pin, and a glazed circular compass recess on the lower portion of the plate. The upper edge is fitted with an applied hinged sundial ring featuring an integrated central gnomon, supported by a curved hinged latitude arc on the left side. The reverse features two applied splayed brass feet.
- Historical Context and Attribution
- The instrument is attributed to 17th-century Safavid Persia. Inscriptions identify the maker as 'Husayn' and the patron as 'Sayf al-Dawlah'. Scholarly sources describe both identities as elusive, noting that 'Sayf al-Dawlah' is an honorific meaning 'Protector of the Realm'. Researchers designate this instrument as 'Map C' within a group of three discovered Mecca-centred world maps. Unlike other examples, such as Map 'A', this instrument is signed by the maker and includes the sundial armature, latitude arc, and inscription-filled cartouches.
- Cartographical and Mathematical Function
- The instrument is designed to determine the qibla—the direction to Mecca—and the distance from a given location. The projection used on the grid is reported to preserve angles from the center (Mecca) and the sine of the distance. The instrument contains coordinate data for 102 locations, which source text associates with a mid-15th-century Timurid geographical table. The mathematical foundation for the grid is characterized as a product of Islamic scientific tradition, specifically using conic sections.
Identification
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: The identities of the maker Husayn and the patron Sayf al-Dawlah are reported in inscription verse translations but remain historically elusive according to scholars.
- Research required: Source notes map 'A' lacked a compass needle, but the presence or absence of an original needle inside this example's glazed recess is not explicitly detailed in the text.