Astrolabe by Muḥammad Mahdī, ca. 1650 (f39774)
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
ca. 1650
This Persian astrolabe, dating to approximately 1650 and signed by the maker Muḥammad Mahdī, is constructed primarily of brass. The instrument features an Indo-Persian style engraved throne, attached to the mater via an integrated base, with an associated copper ring and an omega-type shackle.
The rete is of a foliate design, featuring thirty-four stars marked with foliate pointers. The mater includes a five-plate set with latitudes ranging from 22° to 45°. The back of the instrument is densely engraved with seventeen scales, including altitude, sine/cosine, and a shadow square. A gazetteer listing coordinates for forty-five cities is located in the womb. The instrument is further inscribed with a list of the twelve Shiite Imams around the limb and a Qur'anic verse on the front of the throne.
It 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
- ca. 1650
- Type
- Arabic-inscribed astrolabe, Iran
- Maker
- Muḥammad Mahdī
- Material
- Brass
- City count
- 45
- Provenance
- Presented by J. A. Billmeir in 1957
- Star count
- 34
- Place recorded
- Persia
- Maker / attribution
- Muḥammad Mahdī
Design
- Visible features
- • The shackle is broken. • The limb is inscribed with a list of the twelve Shiite Imams. • The instrument includes a gazetteer for 45 cities.
- Inscriptions and Data
- The instrument is highly decorative and scholarly, featuring extensive textual inscriptions. The limb is adorned with a list of the twelve Shiite Imams, serving as a primary identifier of its cultural context. Furthermore, the front of the throne is inscribed with a Qur'anic quotation. The womb contains a comprehensive gazetteer providing latitude, longitude, and directional data (inhiraf and jihat) for forty-five locations, ranging from Mecca and Medina to Samarqand and Agra. The rete includes thirty-four star pointers, each designated with names and specific astronomical coordinates including mediation and declination, confirming the instrument's functional intent for celestial observation.
- Construction and Design
- The astrolabe is a brass instrument of one-piece construction regarding its mater and limb. It incorporates an Indo-Persian type engraved throne with an integrated base, supporting a copper ring and an omega-shaped shackle, the latter of which is reported as broken. The rete, attached via a pin and horse mechanism featuring a small spacer and floral-patterned pin head, is designed in a foliate style. Five plates are included, offering latitudes from 22° to 45°. A tab at the bottom of the mater serves to prevent tympan rotation. The back displays seventeen distinct scales, including complex arrangements for trigonometric functions, timekeeping, and astrological data such as lunar mansions and triplicities, all engraved within concentric arcs and boxes.
- Provenance and Acquisition
- The astrolabe was accessioned into the History of Science Museum, University of Oxford, in 1957. It was part of a larger gift presented by J. A. Billmeir. The history of the object prior to its inclusion in the museum collection is linked to the collection of Henri Michel of Brussels, which was purchased by Billmeir around 1950. The object is catalogued under the inventory number 41763 and carries the accession number 1957-84/5.
Identification
- Reference
- 41763
- Inventory number
- 41763
- 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 exact identification of the families mentioned in the limb inscription is uncertain as indicated by a question mark in the source.
- Research required: The completeness of the original set of components is not explicitly stated beyond the mention of five plates.