Astrolabe (Inventory 54063)
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
ca. 1650
It features an Indo-Persian pierced throne with an integrated base and a trefoil-shaped shackle attached via a pivoting pin. The instrument consists of a one-piece mater and limb construction.
The back is engraved with twelve distinct scales, including altitude, cotangent, shadow squares, sine/cosine, declination, prayer lines, lunar mansions, and zodiacal signs. It includes four internal plates with latitudes ranging from 27° to 66°. The womb contains a gazetteer documenting coordinates for 68 cities. The instrument was acquired by the History of Science Museum in Oxford through a 1957 gift from J. A. Billmeir, who had previously purchased it from the Henri Michel collection in Brussels.
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, Indian subcontinent
- Material
- Brass
- Acquisition
- Presented by J. A. Billmeir in 1957
- Throne Type
- Indo-Persian pierced
- Place recorded
- India
- Womb Gazetteer
- 68 cities
- Place of Manufacture
- India
Design
- Visible features
- • Throne features an Indo-Persian pierced design • Mater and limb are constructed as a single piece • Back incorporates both fingers and feet units on the shadow square • Gazetteer tab is positioned at 36 degrees from the throne
- Provenance and History
- The instrument was accessioned by the History of Science Museum in Oxford under the number 1957-84/4. It was donated to the institution by J. A. Billmeir in 1957. Records indicate that Billmeir acquired the object through the collection of Henri Michel of Brussels, a significant acquisition made by Billmeir around 1950.
- Construction and Design
- The astrolabe is manufactured from brass and follows an Indo-Persian design tradition. The throne is a pierced, integrated component that terminates in a trefoil-shaped tab, which facilitates the attachment of the shackle via a pivoting pin. The mater and limb of the instrument are fashioned from a single piece of metal, a construction method that provides structural integrity to the main body. The assembly accommodates four internal plates, which are held in place by a tab positioned 36 degrees from the throne, a notable departure from the conventional 180-degree placement found in many other astrolabe designs.
- Astronomical Scales and Functions
- The reverse side of the astrolabe is densely engraved with twelve specific astronomical and mathematical scales. These include altitude scales, cotangent scales measured in fingers and feet, and shadow squares. The upper quadrants also contain arcs for sine/cosine, declination, and prayer lines. Centralized within the shadow squares are circular scales for zodiacal signs and lunar mansions. The instrument also functions as a terrestrial reference, featuring a womb-side gazetteer that lists coordinates for 68 distinct cities, including locations such as Baghdad, Delhi, and Samarkand, providing latitude, longitude, and other navigational parameters.
Identification
- Inventory Number
- 54063
- 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: Latitude range and specific scale subdivisions are verified by the source but internal plate condition is not documented
- Research required: Attribution of origin to India and date circa 1650 are museum-supplied estimates