Brass Indo-Persian Astrolabe
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
18th century (?)
This brass astrolabe, designated inventory number 49300, is attributed to 18th-century (?) Persia. The instrument features a pierced Indo-Persian style throne topped with a trefoil tab, connected via a flat, cello-shaped tab to an omega-shaped shackle and a simple, squared cross-section ring.
The mater and limb are constructed in one piece, with a plate-retaining tab located 180 degrees from the throne. The limb displays a degree scale from 0 to 360 in 5-degree increments. The rete, identified as a replacement, is of the foliate single-knob type and lacks star pointers. The instrument includes a double-ended alidade, also possibly a replacement. A gazetteer located in the womb provides coordinate data for 17 cities.
The object was acquired by the History of Science Museum, University of Oxford, through a presentation by Lewis Evans in 1924, who had previously acquired it from the S. Waters collection.
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
- 18th century (?)
- Type
- Persian-inscribed astrolabe, Iran
- Material
- Brass
- Provenance
- Presented by Lewis Evans in 1924
- Rete status
- Replacement
- Throne style
- Indo-Persian, pierced
- Place recorded
- Persia
- Place of manufacture
- Persia
Design
- Visible features
- • Pierced Indo-Persian throne with trefoil tab • Omega-shaped shackle with flat, cello-shaped connector • One-piece construction of mater and limb • Rete features zodiac labels in Arabic script
- Provenance and History
- Accessioned by the History of Science Museum in 1924, this instrument bears the inventory number 49300. The acquisition was facilitated by the donation of Lewis Evans. Prior to the museum's stewardship, the astrolabe was part of the collection held by S. Waters. Evans secured this collection between 1900 and 1910 before transferring it to the current institution.
- Construction and Assembly
- The astrolabe is crafted primarily from brass. Its structural integrity relies on a one-piece construction of the mater and the limb. A specific tab positioned 180 degrees from the throne ensures the stability of the plates during use. The instrument is suspended by a ring featuring a simple, squared cross-section. This is joined to an omega-shaped shackle, which connects to the main body via a flat, cello-shaped tab. The throne, characterized by its pierced Indo-Persian design, is integrated into the base and finished with a trefoil-shaped tab.
- Components and Inscriptions
- The rete, which functions as a replacement, lacks star pointers and features a foliate single-knob design. The zodiac sequence is inscribed on the rete using Arabic terminology for signs such as Aries (Hamal), Taurus (Thawr), and Gemini (Jawza). The womb houses an incomplete gazetteer containing coordinate data for 17 cities, including Mecca, Baghdad, and Isfahan, detailing longitude, latitude, and Inhiraf. The limb provides a circular degree scale marked every five degrees, spanning 0 to 360 degrees.
Identification
- Inventory number
- 49300
- 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: Rete is documented as a replacement
- Research required: Alidade is suspected to be a replacement