Quadrant (back)

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A quadrant is a quarter of a circumference of a circle. This wooden example was used with a plumb line and bead for taking altitude observations. It was made in Turkey in the 19th century. The photograph shows the back of the instrument.

The quadrant is laid out with scales that allow observations of the altitude of the sun (or of particular stars) to be used to determine the time on a known date. It is laid out for the latitude of 40 degrees.

This form of quadrant survived much longer in Islam than in the West. From at least the 17th century onwards in the Ottoman empire it was produced in lacquered wood, in considerable quantities and survived in use into the early 20th century.

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• Online ID: 000-190-001-077-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  T.1986.L.2.46
• Date: 19th century
  
• Material: Wood, lacquered. Inscription: Box: Indischer Quadrant
  Quadrant, Islamic / box
  
• Dimensions:
• What: Quadrant, Islamic / box
  
• Subject:
• Who:
• Where: Middle East, Turkey
  
• Event:
• Description: Islamic quadrant in lacquered wood, with sinecal and horary scales for latitude 40, Turkish origin, and in a box marked 'Indischer Quadrant', 19th century
  
• References:
  • A description of the quadrant and development of Islamic instruments given by Turner, A.J., The Time Museum: Volume 1 Time Measuring Instruments Part 1, Astrolabes, Astrolabe Related Instruments. Rockford, Illinois: 1985. pp 202-10, and an example, pp 212 
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