Accession No
1410
Brief Description
5-inch celestial globe, Persian, early 17th Century
Origin
Persia [now Iran]
Maker
Class
astronomy
Earliest Date
1600
Latest Date
1650
Inscription Date
Material
metal (brass)
Dimensions
d 130 mm h 210 mm
Special Collection
Provenance
Inscription
Description Notes
5-inch celestial globe, in brass, Persian, early 17th century.
Brass, engraved with signs of the zodiac, ecliptic, etc. Meridian circle, graduated and inscribed. Polar axis set horizontally on engraved horizon/date circle. Supported on 3 shaped pillars and circular base
Catalogue entry for Wh. 1410 in Emilie Savage-Smith, ‘Islamicate Celestial Globes: Their History, Construction, and Use’, Smithsonian Studies in History and Technology, Number 46, p259:
“Metal; seam along ecliptic. Diameter 121 mm. No constellation figures but 12 zodiac figures engraved in circular medallions. About 42 stars (unlabelled) indicated by inlaid silver points sometimes having circles engraved around them. Ecliptic latitude circles; incomplete set of meridians consisting of equinoctial colure and one 30o to the west; equatorial and ecliptic tropic circles; circles about 12o inside each of the tropic circles parallel to both the ecliptic and equatorial tropic circles; equatorial polar circles. Ecliptic and equator ungraduated. Zodiacal houses labelled outside medallions; ecliptic, equator, equinoxes, solstices, the mayl kulli, ecliptic latitude circles, meridians, tropic circles, polar circles, equatorial and ecliptic poles labelled; naskhī tending towards ta'liq. Along the ecliptic are 12 circular medallions with the zodiac figures which represent a different iconographic tradition from true constellation diagrams. The unlabelled stars are spaced regularly about the globe, resulting in little if any astronomical accuracy.
The globe is probably of Safavid Dynasty Persian origin of the early seventeenth century.
The globe is placed in a meridian ring and horizontal ring with stand which are not contemporary with the globe and of a different alloy. The horizontal ring, supported by three tapered legs on a ring base, has approximately 5o segments numbered in an irregular and scrambled sequence, with irregular small divisions. The meridian ring, also marked with irregular divisions and disordered numerals, is mounted at the equatorial poles of the globe and permanently attached to the horizon ring with the axis of the globe parallel to the horizon.”
Complete.
References
Events
Description
Under the reign of Shah Abbas I (r. 1587–1629), the Safavid Empire was producing its finest artistic and cultural works. The Safavid Empire centred in Persia and extended to the sub-Caucasus and Khorasan regions. This celestial globe was produced during the reign of Abbas II (r. 1642–1666), predecessor of Abbas I, whose reign was remarkable for its relative peace. Studies of Islamicate globes use three classifications of globe types for identification purposes. This object is representative of a Class B specimen, as it shows only the major stars with no constellation outlines. In other respects, this object departs from the Islamicate globe-making tradition: some of the stars are on this globe are poorly positioned and not labelled, and twelve zodiacal medallions run along the central seam, which function as emblematic motifs rather than as constellation diagrams. These zodiacal designs can be found on other examples of metalwork from the period such as coins. It is likely that this object was intended as an object d’art, as it is such an unusual example.
14/01/2014
Created by: Allison Ksiazkiewicz on 14/01/2014
FM:39713
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