Page 66 - Highlights of the Collection
P. 66
Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Battuti
[active between 1706 and 1757?]
Astrolabe
Maghreb, 1726-27
Diam. 22 cm, cast and engraved brass, silver nails
A flat projection of the night sky, an astrolabe was
used to help calculate the positions of the stars
and to determine the exact time during the day.
Mentioned by several ancient Greek authors, this
measuring and navigational instrument was used
up to the 18th century, when it was replaced by Highlights of the Collection
more sophisticated optical instruments. Combining
the scientific knowledge of the East and West, this
finely engraved astrolabe stands out due to its size,
Louvre Abu Dhabi
exceptional for this type of artefact.
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