Brass Astrolabe, 17th Century India
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
17th century
This 17th-century brass astrolabe (inventory 33411) from India, now in the History of Science Museum, Oxford, features an indo-persian broad-type throne, a round-section ring, and a trefoil shackle.
The mater and limb are constructed in one piece with a tab located at the bottom to secure the plates. The rete is of a foliate type, incorporating 46 stars marked with foliate pointers and a labelled ecliptic zodiac. The back displays 15 distinct scales, including altitude, sine/cosine, and zodiacal projections. The alidade is double-ended and contains a sighting rule, though the source notes the metal suggests it might be a later replacement.
The instrument was presented to the museum by A.E. Gunther in 1986.
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
- 17th century
- Type
- Arabic-inscribed astrolabe, Indian subcontinent
- Material
- Brass
- Provenance
- Presented by A.E. Gunther in 1986
- Throne style
- Indo-Persian, broad type
- Place recorded
- India
- Plate capacity
- 7 plates
- Place of origin
- India
Design
- Visible features
- • Foliate star pointers on the rete • Double-ended sighting alidade • Trefoil-type shackle and Indo-Persian style throne • 15 scales on the reverse including shadow squares
- Construction and Design
- The astrolabe is manufactured from brass, featuring a one-piece mater and limb construction. The instrument's primary suspension point is a trefoil-type shackle connected to a simple, round cross-section ring. The throne is identified as the broad, Indo-Persian type and is attached via an integrated base, with no decoration other than a vertical line engraved on the back. The plates are secured against rotation by a tab positioned at the bottom of the mater, 180 degrees from the throne. There are seven plates in total, offering a range of latitudes from 18 degrees to 90 degrees. One specific plate is designed for the North Pole, a feature highlighting the instrument's instructional capacity for demonstrating astronomical phenomena such as the sun's behavior at extreme latitudes.
- Provenance and Accession
- The instrument is recorded as part of the Gunther Collection, which was initially deposited on loan to the museum in 1940 by the executors of the founding curator, R. T. Gunther (1869-1940). The collection was described as miscellaneous in nature and contained several astrolabes. Documentation regarding the specific history or original acquisition of this astrolabe by R. T. Gunther remains unknown, and it was notably absent from his 1932 publication, The Astrolabes of the World. The item was formally acquired by the institution through a presentation by A.E. Gunther in 1986.
- Rete and Instrumentation
- The rete is designed with a foliate pattern and features a single knob. It incorporates an ecliptic scale and is populated with 46 stars, each indicated by a foliate pointer. The zodiacal signs are engraved in Arabic script. The rete is secured to the main body using a central pin and horse mechanism. The back of the astrolabe is densely inscribed with 15 different scales, covering various functions including altitude, sine/cosine, declination, prayer lines, lunar mansions, and shadow squares. The double-ended alidade includes a sighting rule, consistent with other instruments originating from India, although the metal composition suggests it may have been replaced at a later time.
Identification
- Serial number
- 33411
- Inventory Number
- 33411
- 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 alidade might be a later replacement because the metal is distinctly different
- Research required: The exact acquisition method used by R.T. Gunther is not recorded