Astrolabe (detail)

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Astrolabes can be used for time-finding, navigation, surveying, astronomy and astrology. This is a detail of a brass astrolabe made in Cordoba in Spain in 1026. The instrument is the earliest earliest surviving signed and dated astrolabe made in Europe.

The detail shows part of the back of the brass astrolabe. The rectangular inscription surrounds the shadow square, a device used when the instrument is being used to calculate surveying problems.

In Islam, astrolabes could be used to calculate the time for prayer. Islamic manufacture of astrolabes continued to the 20th century, although they were obsolete in Europe by the 18th century.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-190-001-037-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  T.1959.62
• Date: 1026
  417 AH = 1026/1027 AD
  
• Material: Inscription: Work of Muhammad b. as-Saffar in Cordova in the year 17 and 400 (Kufic characters)
  Astrolabe
  
• Dimensions: 155.00 mm
  
• What: Astrolabe
  
• Subject: 3. ASTRONOMY, Astrolabes (Departmental Classification)
  
• Who: Muhammad b-as-Saffar, Cordova (Maker)
  
• Where: Spain, Cordoba
  
• Event:
• Description: Brass astrolabe, the earliest surviving signed and dated astrolabe made in Europe, by Muhammad b. as-Saffar, Cordoba, Spain, 417 AH, 1026/7 AD
  
• References:
  • Macdonald, A. & Morrison-Low, A.D., A Heavenly Library: Treasures from the Royal Observatory's Crawford Collection. Edinburgh: Royal Observatory & NMS, 1994, p 24 
  • Turner, A. J., The Time Museum catalogue of the collection, Vol 1: Time Measuring Instruments, Part 1 Astrolabes & Astrolabe Related Instruments. Rockford: 1985, p 115 
• Translations:
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