Astrolabe
Astrolabe, early 17th century antique brass, with Arabic and Zodiac engravings all over front and back. Has three round spinning plates and a rotating bar all held on with a removable tapered pin on back. Every surface of each piece is covered with symbols. Has a hanging loop at top.
- Object: Astrolabe
- Artist: -
- Circa: early 17th century
- Dimensions: 0.25" D x 2.5" W x 4.125" H 5.8 oz
- Culture Area: Middle East / Iran / Persia
- Cultural Group: -
- Cultural Context: The Persian Astrolabe is a historical astronomical instrument used for navigation. See additional information attached from seller (ebay). 119.009 – Persian Astrolabe This artifact is a Persian astrolabe from the 17th century. Astrolabes predated the compass and sextant, helping travelers navigate their journeys by point to the North Star. To use an astrolabe you would first need to be able to find the Big Dipper constellation, pointing your astrolabe towards these stars ensured that the handle on the face of the astrolabe would point to the North Star, therefore the traveler would always know which way was north. The many other uses of the astrolabe include, locating and predicting the positions of the sun, moon, planets, and stars, determining the local time given the local longitude and vice versa, surveying, and triangulation. Astrologers of European nations used astrolabes to construct horoscopes. In the Islamic world, they are and were used primarily for astronomical studies. https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_997138 https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/What-is-a-Persian-Astrolabe/articleshow/2223702.cms https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrolabe
- Donor: IELM Funds
- Catalog #: 119.009