Astrolabe by Muḥammad Amīn ibn Amīrzā Khān
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1587/8 (A.H. 996)
This brass astrolabe, bearing the inventory number 52399, is attributed to the maker Muḥammad Amīn ibn Amīrzā Khān and dates to 1587/8 (A.H. 996). The instrument features a broad, Indo-Persian type throne and an omega-shaped shackle, with a simple, round cross-section ring.
It is constructed as a one-piece mater and limb assembly, with a tympan tab positioned 180 degrees from the throne. The instrument includes four plates with latitudes ranging from 30 to 42 degrees. The back displays six scales, including altitude, Dastūr circle, cotangent, and shadow square. The instrument is densely inscribed with dedications to Shāh ʿAbbās I and the signature of the maker. The rete is of the foliate single-knob type, and the double-ended alidade is original and rigid.
The astrolabe was presented to the History of Science Museum by J. A. Billmeir in 1957.
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
- Date
- 1587/8 (A.H. 996)
- Type
- Arabic-inscribed astrolabe, Iran
- Maker
- Muḥammad Amīn ibn Amīrzā Khān
- Material
- Brass
- Acquisition
- Presented by J. A. Billmeir in 1957
- Place recorded
- Persia
- Maker / attribution
- Muḥammad Amīn ibn Amīrzā Khān
- Place of manufacture
- Persia
Design
- Visible features
- • The throne is devoid of any inscription or other decoration. • The double-ended alidade features simple sights. • The pin head is decorated with radial lines.
- Construction and Design
- The astrolabe is constructed primarily of brass and exhibits a broad, Indo-Persian style throne attached to a one-piece mater and limb. The throne is noted for its lack of surface decoration or inscriptions. The instrument is suspended by a simple round ring and an omega-shaped shackle. The tympan-securing tab is located on the limb, diametrically opposed to the throne. A double-ended, original alidade with rigid, simple sights completes the functional components of the instrument, secured by a pin featuring radial line decorations on its head.
- Provenance and Condition
- The object was part of the Henri Michel collection in Brussels, which was acquired by J. A. Billmeir circa 1950. The piece entered the collection of the History of Science Museum in Oxford following its presentation by Billmeir in 1957. Documentation of the instrument notes that it includes four plates with varying latitudes.
- Inscriptions and Signatures
- The back of the astrolabe is heavily inscribed with Persian text, serving both as a dedication to the Safavid ruler Shāh ʿAbbās I and a signature for the maker. The dedication texts, spanning the upper right and right-side quadrants, praise the sultan and invoke divine favor upon his reign. The maker's signature is located in the lower right segment, identifying the creator as Muḥammad Amīn ibn Amīrzā Khān al-Nakhʿī, subsequently al-Qummī. The inscriptions provide a specific production date of 996 A.H. (1587/8 A.D.).
Identification
- Reference
- 52399
- Accession number
- 1957-84/2
- Inventory number
- 52399
- 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: It is not clear whether the astrolabe belonged to Shāh ʿAbbās I or was merely dedicated to him.
- Research required: The precise modern identification of all star names on the rete is not fully verified in the provided data.