Georg Hartmann Crucifix Dial
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1541
This crucifix dial, dated 1541 and signed by Georg Hartmann of Nuremberg, is a portable ivory sundial combining devotional imagery with timekeeping functionality.
The object measures 39 x 96 x 17 mm. Hour lines are engraved onto the upper faces of the cross and the curved sides of the base, complemented by zodiacal symbols at the base of the cross. The instrument incorporates a pivoted section serving as an adjustable support leg, which is set to a specific angle via a side-mounted pointer moving across an unnumbered scale. A small compass is inset into the top of this movable section.
The base is inscribed with the signature of the maker and the date of manufacture.
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
- 1541
- Type
- Nuremberg crucifix dial
- Maker
- Georg Hartmann
- Signature
- GEORGIVS HARTMAN NO::RENBERGE: F: ANNO 1541
- Dimensions
- 39 x 96 x 17 mm
- Place recorded
- Germany
- Place of Origin
- Nuremberg
- Maker / attribution
- Georg Hartmann
Design
- Visible features
- • Crucifixion scene carved in relief on the central cross • Pivoted support leg with an adjustable side pointer • Inset compass located on the top of the pivoted base section • Zodiacal symbols engraved near the base of the cross
- Construction and Design
- The instrument is fashioned from ivory and sculpted into the form of a crucifix. The primary cross structure functions as the dial plate, with hour lines distributed across five upper faces of the cross and the two curved sides of the base. These inscriptions indicate specific hours, specifically 9 to 11, 7 to 9, 12, 3 to 5, and 1 to 3 on the upper faces, with additional lines on the base. A unique element of this dial is its adjustable support mechanism. A section of the base can be pivoted to serve as a stand, allowing the cross to be positioned at a specific angle. This adjustment is controlled by a pointer that moves across a scale on the side of the base. This section is also decorated with the Deposition and the coat-of-arms of Brandenburg.
- Iconography and Features
- The dial features significant religious imagery integrated into its functional design. Symbols representing the zodiac are engraved at the base of the cross. In addition to the timekeeping and religious carvings, the instrument houses a small compass at the top of the movable base section. This feature was necessary for the proper orientation of the sundial during use.
- Provenance and Documentation
- The object is held in the collection of the British Museum, London, with the registration number MLA 1894, 7-22.1. It was acquired by the museum in 1894. The object is cited in the literature pertaining to European scientific instruments, specifically documented in a catalogue produced by F. A. B. Ward regarding the collections of the Department of Medieval and Later Antiquities.
Identification
- Inventory Number
- MLA 1894, 7-22.1
- 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 unnumbered scale is only suggested to indicate latitudes
- Research required: The exact function of the coat-of-arms of Brandenburg depicted on the dial is not fully explained