Astrolabe
Image information
Sizing information
| Overall size (inc frame) | x cm ( x in) |
| Depth | cm (in) |
| Artwork | x cm ( x in) |
| Border (mount) |
cm
top/bottom
(in)
cm left/right (in) |
| The paper size of our wall art shipped from the US is sized to the nearest inch. | |
Astrolabe
This astrolabe, dated AH929 (1522-23 AD), is signed by one Yusuf ibn Hajji al-Jilani, from Gilan, a region southwest of the Caspian Sea. It is in the tradition of those made 150-250 years earlier by four successive generations of the Kirmani family. Hajji al-Jilani is not known to have made any other instruments.
The throne is solid and triangular in shape. Engraved in the mater is a geographical gazetteer with the longitudes, latitudes and qiblas of 31 localities. The rete, with 26 star pointers, is a replacement from either Iran or India, possibly from the 18th century. There are four plates, which, instead of having a square notch at the bottom, are held in the mater by a small hole on the lower part of the meridian line which is fixed onto a knob protruding from the mater. Between them, the plates cover all even latitudes between 30├òÔòØ-40├òÔòØ inclusive and also 22├òÔòØ. On the back of the instrument in the upper-left quadrant is a shadow square, outside of which the maker has put his signature in a clear naskhi script: 'Made by Yusuf ibn Hajji al-Jilani in the year 929 Hijra, 892 Yazdigird'. The original peg and wedge for the alidade have been replaced with a modern nut and bolt.
Yusuf ibn Hajji al-Jilani
- Image reference: F1382
- National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Discover more
More by this artist
Search for similar images
Product images of Astrolabe
Our prints
We use a 240gsm fine art paper and premium branded inks to create the perfect reproduction.
Our expertise and use of high-quality materials means that our print colours are independently verified to last between 100 and 200 years.
Read more about our fine art prints.
Manufactured in the UK
All products are printed in the UK, using the latest digital presses and a giclée printmaking process.
We only use premium branded inks, and colours are independently verified to last between 100 and 200 years.
Delivery & returns
We print everything to order so delivery times may vary but all unframed prints are despatched within 2-4 days via courier or recorded mail.
Due to the coronovirus pandemic and Brexit situation, current shipping times may be longer, particularly for destinations outside the UK.
Delivery to the UK is £5 for an unframed print of any size.
We will happily replace your order if everything isn’t 100% perfect.
