Horary Quadrant
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
10th century
The horary quadrant is a brass instrument, crafted via casting and incising, attributed to the maker Muhammad ibn Mahmud. Dating to the 10th century, the object measures 7.3 cm in height and 7.0 cm in width.
The quadrant is a timekeeping device used to determine the hour of the day based on the sun's position. The object was discovered during the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s excavations in Nishapur, Iran, between 1935 and 1948, as part of the museum's broader archaeological efforts in the region during the early to middle Islamic period. It is now part of the permanent collection under the department of Islamic Art, acquired through the Rogers Fund in 1936.
The instrument demonstrates early techniques in metalwork and astronomical calculation found in the Nishapur archaeological site.
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
- 10th century
- Type
- Horary Quadrant
- Maker
- Muhammad ibn Mahmud
- Medium
- Brass; cast, incised
- Dimensions
- H. 2 7/8 in. (7.3 cm) W. 2 1/2 in. (7.0 cm)
- Provenance
- Found and purchased in Nishapur, Iran
- Object Name
- Quadrant
- Place recorded
- Iran
- Maker / attribution
- Muhammad ibn Mahmud
- Place of Manufacture
- Nishapur, Iran
Design
- Visible features
- • Cast brass construction with incised markings • Graduated arc scale with Arabic numerals • Two hinge-like lugs on the straight vertical edge • Surface shows visible wear, scratching, and archaeological patina
- Archaeological Context
- The quadrant was recovered during the 'Persian Expedition' conducted by the Metropolitan Museum of Art between 1935 and 1948. These excavations took place at various sites in Nishapur, a city historically significant for its location along trade routes connecting Islamic lands with Central Asia and China. The Metropolitan Museum's fieldwork in the area yielded thousands of artifacts spanning the ninth to twelfth centuries. This specific quadrant, accessioned in 1936, emerged from the extensive archaeological activity directed by American teams in cooperation with Iranian authorities.
- Construction and Design
- The horary quadrant is a compact astronomical tool constructed from brass. It is manufactured through a process involving casting followed by the incising of scales and geometric lines. The primary face of the instrument features an arc calibrated with numerical markers and a series of intersecting lines, which serve as the grid for solar hour determination. The surface of the brass shows the effects of age and archaeological recovery, displaying signs of oxidation, fine surface scratching, and minor pitting. The incised markings remain legible across the body of the quadrant, providing the mathematical data required for its function as a time-measuring device. The proportions of the instrument are small and portable, reflecting its design for active field use.
- Attribution and Signature
- The object bears an inscription attributing it to the maker Muhammad ibn Mahmud. This attribution is recorded in the museum's catalogue entry, which identifies the individual responsible for the creation of the instrument. The signature is incised directly onto the face of the brass plate, integrated with the astronomical coordinate lines that cover the instrument's surface. While the specific workshop or life details of Muhammad ibn Mahmud are not elaborated upon in the provided source, his identification as the maker remains the established record for this piece in the Metropolitan Museum's collection.
Identification
- Accession Number
- 36.20.54
- 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: Original function of the hinge-like lugs is unconfirmed
- Research required: Precise astronomical accuracy of the incised coordinate lines is not verified