Astrolabe by Muḥammad Ṣāliḥ Tatawī
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1666/7
This brass astrolabe, designated inventory number 33474, was crafted by Muḥammad Ṣāliḥ Tatawī in the year 1077 AH (1666/7 AD). The instrument features a pierced, Indo-Persian style throne with an integrated base and a round-section ring.
Its construction includes a one-piece mater and limb, with the latter inscribed with the maker’s signature and date. The womb of the mater contains a gazetteer with coordinates for 133 cities. The device is equipped with six plates covering latitudes from 18° to 66°, and a foliate-type rete. The back of the instrument hosts 12 distinct scales, including altitude, declination, unequal hours, and a shadow square. The alidade is double-ended and rigid.
The object was presented to the museum by J. A. Billmeir in 1957, following its acquisition at the 1956 Chadenat collection sale in Paris.
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
- 1666/7
- Type
- Arabic-inscribed astrolabe, Indian subcontinent
- Maker
- Muḥammad Ṣāliḥ Tatawī
- Material
- Brass
- Provenance
- Presented by J. A. Billmeir in 1957
- Limb Scales
- 0 - 360 Degrees
- Gazetteer Size
- 133 towns
- Place recorded
- Tatta
- Maker / attribution
- Muḥammad Ṣāliḥ Tatawī
Design
- Visible features
- • Pierced Indo-Persian throne design • Engraved gazetteer in the womb containing 133 cities • Double-ended alidade with linear scales • Rete features foliate-style pointers
- Provenance and History
- The object was acquired by the History of Science Museum in Oxford following a donation from J. A. Billmeir in 1957. Official records assign the accession number 1957-84/164 to the item. Prior to its arrival in the museum, the astrolabe was part of the Chadenat collection in Paris. It was sold at the Hôtel Drouot in Paris on 24 May 1956, where it was purchased by Charles Chadenat, a known collector and dealer who had previously held the object in his collection.
- Construction and Design
- The astrolabe is fabricated from brass and utilizes a one-piece construction for the mater and limb. It features a pierced throne of the Indo-Persian type, which is attached to an integrated base. A plain, round-section ring is connected to the throne via an eye-bolt shackle that pivots on a pin. The tab designed to secure the tympans is positioned at the base of the instrument, exactly 180 degrees from the throne. The front of the instrument displays a foliate, single-knob rete, which is attached using a pin and wedge mechanism with a thick washer between the horse and the rete. Six interchangeable plates are included, facilitating measurements across a latitude range of 18 degrees to 66 degrees. A double-ended alidade serves as the primary sighting tool on the back, featuring a rigid construction without pinholes or notches.
- Inscriptions and Gazetteer
- A significant component of this instrument is the gazetteer engraved within the womb of the mater. This feature consists of three concentric circular tables detailing the coordinates for 133 cities throughout the Muslim world, providing both longitude and latitude for each location. The maker's signature is located on the limb and reads "The work of Muḥammad Ṣāliḥ Tatawi, year 777." The authenticity of this date is considered questionable by researchers, who interpret the characters as an intended reading of 1077 AH (1666/7 AD). This revised dating has become the accepted chronological marker for the object.
Identification
- Serial number
- 33474
- Inventory Number
- 33474
- 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 year 777 inscribed on the instrument is widely considered an error for 1077
- Research required: The precise identification of all city gazetteer entries remains subject to historical analysis