Nautical Astrolabe - H23

This is a replica of a 16th century nautical astrolabe called Valence, after the Irish island it was found on. The original item is today housed at the National Maritime Museum of Greenwich. Nautical astrolabes were simplified planispheric astrolabes, with their main purpose being to obtain latitude by observing the altitude of the sun and other stars. Astrolabes hold a special place in the history of Islamic peoples, with one of its main uses being to determine prayer time and the direction of Mecca towards which they would turn to pray. The Museum of Islamic Arts in Doha has a number of exquisite astrolabes in its collection, highlighting the importance of these instruments for the Islamic world. Made in Spain Dimensions: 15cm in height, 10cm in diameter, 10mm thick Material: Brass and wood