{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O81928"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O81928/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AF7176/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AF7176/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AF7176","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O81928/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O81928","accessionNumber":"458-1888","objectType":"Astrolabe","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This astrolabe is signed by one ‘Abd al-Aimmah’ and dated to the year 1715. Iranian astrolabes fall into two categories: those made from the 10th to the 16th centuries, which continue in much the same style as the earliest Iranian astrolabes; and those made from the end of the second half of the 16th century, when there was a resurgance in astrolabe-making. These later astrolabes are decorated in the highly ornate style popular in Iran at this period. Numerous surviving examples from the 17th and 18th centuries reflect the popularity of astrology at court. The retes of these astrolabes - that is, the part of the instrument that maps the stars, made up of a rotating disk with pointers - feature patterns of vine scrolls, bearing leaf-shaped star pointers. The various components, as well as the rims and the backs, usually have patterns or inscriptions, sometimes Persian verses in either <i>naskh</i> or <i>nastaliq</i> scripts. Astrolabes from this period also often have a signature within a cartouche below the shadow square on the back.","physicalDescription":"Brass sheet, cut and engraved.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Abd al-A'immah","id":"A17257"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"brass","id":"AAT10946"}],"techniques":[{"text":"engraving","id":"AAT53829"},{"text":"soldering","id":"AAT53949"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Brass, cut and engraved","categories":[{"text":"Islam","id":"THES48932"},{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Science","id":"THES48898"}],"styles":[{"text":"Islamic","id":"x29301"},{"text":"Safavid","id":"AAT21712"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"MES","id":"THES48607"},"images":["2006AF7176"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"42","id":"THES49806"},"free":"","case":"9W","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Astrolabe","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Iran","id":"x30220"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""},{"place":{"text":"Isfahan","id":"x28926"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1715","earliest":"1715-01-01","latest":"1715-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"19.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"maximum, with suspension ring","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"12.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Diameter","value":"11","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"plates","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'Abd al-Aimmah","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"Persian","medium":"","method":"engraving","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"1) Signature","note":"1) Signature; Persian; engraving"}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Astrolabe, Iran (Isfahan), 1715.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"Tim Stanley (ed.), with Mariam Rosser-Owen and Stephen Vernoit, <i>Palace and Mosque: Islamic Art from the Middle East</i>, London, V&A Publications, 2004","id":"AUTH351313"},"details":"pp.14, 15, 106","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<u>Science, Tools, Magic</u>, Khalili Collection, Vol. XII, cat. nos. 145-151."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[{"text":"Sidney Churchill","id":"C3835"}],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Jameel Gallery \r\n\r\n2–3 Astrolabes \r\nLike the celestial globe, the astrolabe was inherited from Greek and Roman astronomy. It shows the relative positions of the sun and stars on a flat surface. \r\n\r\nThe solid plates are engraved for different latitudes. To use the astrolabe, one plate is placed in the casing (mater) under the openwork disc (rete). \r\n\r\nThe rete is a star map with pointers showing the stars’ position. It is moved to the correct position once an observation has been made with the sighting device (alidade).\r\n\r\n3 Dismantled Astrolabe\r\nIran, Isfahan\r\nDated 1715\r\nBrass, cast and sheet, pierced and engraved. \r\nMade by Abd al-A’immah\r\nMuseum no. 458-1888\r\n","date":{"text":"Jameel Gallery","earliest":"2006-07-20","latest":null}}],"partNumbers":["458-1888"],"accessionNumberNum":"458","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1888,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2016JC4602","2019LN3172","2019LP3132","2019LP0538","2019LT7693"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-12","recordCreationDate":"2003-07-03","availableToBook":false}}