Andalusi and Hispanic Astrolabes: From Precision to Sumptuousness
Keywords:
Astrolabe, astrolabist, brass, medieval astronomy, timekeeping.
Abstract
The astrolabe is a two-dimensional model of the universe. The origins of this astronomical instrument were in Greece around the 1st century BC. From the 8th century the Islamic world developed it further to make it an instrument at the service of religion and, by adding decorative elements, also attractive to the civil power. A chronological journey from the 10th to the 15th centuries accompanied by both, the Andalusian astrolabes and those executed in the Hispanic Christian kingdoms, evidences the evolution of their sumptuary dimension. Astrolabes that have attained our days are made of brass. The analysis of the alloy composition of each part of the astrolabe, helps to approach the layout of the medieval astrolabe workshops. The Astrolabe Treatises, written in Arabic, Latin and Castilian let us know the theoretical design process, the applications and operating mode of astrolabes.Downloads
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How to Cite
Hernández Pérez A. (2015). Andalusi and Hispanic Astrolabes: From Precision to Sumptuousness. Anales de Historia del Arte, 24(Especial), 289-305. https://doi.org/10.5209/rev_ANHA.2014.48279
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