Celestial Sphere
Celestial Sphere
1656-1657 (made)
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 | |
| Title | Celestial 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 |
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| 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).)
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| Gallery label |
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| 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 |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | IS.2324-1883 |
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| Record created | December 15, 1999 |
| Record URL |
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