Nautical Astrolabe Key Ring - H82

Pay homage to the olden days of navigating with this astrolabe key ring, which is a beautiful replica of the Nautical Astrolabe of Dundee. The original item was a marine astrolabe made by the Portuguese in the mid 16th century and is today housed by the Art Gallery and Museum of Dundee. 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: 45mm in diameter, 5mm thick Material: Brass and wood