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Celestial Sphere

Celestial Sphere
1656-1657 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This celestial sphere, made of brass and engraved and inlaid with silver, was made in Lahore. It is dated AH 1067/AD1656-1657 and is inscribed with the name of Ziya al-Din Muhammad. He was a member of the famous Lahore family of astrolabists whose association with the imperial Mughal family began with their service to the emperor Humayun in the 16th century. It was bought for the South Kensington Museum in Bombay for £8 by Caspar Stanley Clarke on his purchasing mission for the museum in 1881-2.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleCelestial Sphere (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Brass, engraved and inlaid with silver and black lac
Brief description
engraved with signs of the Zodiac; Astronomy, bronze, Pakistan, 1068 AH (1658)
Physical description
Brass sphere engraved with astrological signs and inlaid with silver. Inscriptions in Arabic and Persian.
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 13.1cm
Style
Marks and inscriptions
'amal-e 'aqall al-'ebad Ziya al-Din Muhammad ibn-e Qayem-Muhammad ibn-e Mulla 'Isa ibn-e Shaikh Ilahdad-e Ostorlab-e Humayuni-e Lahuri Sana 1067 (This gives the lineage of Ziya al-Din Muhammad, the maker of the celestial sphere, and records that he belonged to the family of astrolabists who had worked in Lahore from the 16th century in service to Akbar (r. 1556-1605), Jahangir (r. 1605-1627) and Shah Jahan (r. 1628-1658).)
Translation
The work of the most insignificant of slaves Ziya al-Din Muhammad ibn-e Qayem-Muhammad ibn-e Mulla 'Isa ibn-e Shaikh Ilahdad, His Majesty's astrolabist, the Lahuri, 1067.
Gallery label
2016-2018 Display: Amulets, Talismans and Fortune Telling in the Middle East Divination and Magic: Seeking knowledge of the future through astrology or divination was a popular practice in the Islamic world. This was the work of astrologers, who used complex instruments such as celestial globes and astrolabes to predict fortune. This information was translated into tables which provided information on when to take certain actions - for example, when to buy a house or set out on a journey. 20. Celestial globe Pakistan, Lahore Dated 1657 Brass, engraved and inlaid with silver Signed by Ziya al-Din Muhammad Museum no. IS.2324-1883(2016-2018)
Object history
The Lahore astrolabist, whose name and date are inscribed on the celestial sphere, was directly descended from Sheykh Allahdad, who worked for the Mughal emperor Humayun and whose family continued their asscociation with the court. It was bought for £8 in Bombay (now Mumbai) for the South Kensington Museum by Caspar Purdon Clarke on his purchasing mission to India on behalf of the Museum in 1881-2.

Historical significance: The sphere is signed by Zia al-din Muhammad (son of Qayem Muhammad, son of Mulla 'Isa, son of Shaikh Ilahdad, astronomer of the Mughal emperor Humayan).
Subjects depicted
Place depicted
Summary
This celestial sphere, made of brass and engraved and inlaid with silver, was made in Lahore. It is dated AH 1067/AD1656-1657 and is inscribed with the name of Ziya al-Din Muhammad. He was a member of the famous Lahore family of astrolabists whose association with the imperial Mughal family began with their service to the emperor Humayun in the 16th century. It was bought for the South Kensington Museum in Bombay for £8 by Caspar Stanley Clarke on his purchasing mission for the museum in 1881-2.
Bibliographic references
  • Emilie Savage-Smith, Islamicate Celestial Globes. Their History, Construction and Use, Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1985, p.228, no.22.
  • Skelton, Robert, et al, The Indian Heritage. Court life and Arts under Mughal Rule London: The Victoria and Albert Museum, 1982 p. 148, cat. 496, Susan Stronge
  • Swallow, Deborah and John Guy eds. Arts of India: 1550-1900. text by Rosemary Crill, John Guy, Veronica Murphy, Susan Stronge and Deborah Swallow. London : V&A Publications, 1990. 240 p., ill. ISBN 1851770224, p.63, no.43.
  • Stronge, S. (Ed.) "The Arts of the Sikh Kingdoms", V&A, 1999 p. 214, Cat. 39
Collection
Accession number
IS.2324-1883

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Record createdDecember 15, 1999
Record URL
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