A UNIQUE AND HISTORICALLY IMPORTANT ASTROLABE MADE FOR THE MOROCCAN RULER MAWLÂY ISMÂ'ÎL, Circa 1700

Silver, with silver buttons on the star-pointers

In overall good condition, with oxidisation and ware to surface, as viewed.
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This astrolabe bears an inscription that claims it was made for the despotic Moroccan ruler Mawlay Isma'il (reigned 1672-1727), one of the greatest figures of Moroccan history, fabled to have fathered 888 children. At first sight, it fits into the mainstream of Moroccan astrolabe-making of that period, with its distinctive throne and rete design, but closer inspection reveals that there are some discrepancies. Whilst it is not worthy of having been dedicated to the ruler, this is not to say that it could not have been. The piece is of considerable historical interest and presents us with numerous tantalising features.

It should be stated at the outset that this astrolabe is competently non-functional. The alidade, whilst probably original, cannot be used for measuring solar or stellar altitudes, nor can the alidade be used on the front of the instrument – on which the upper right part of the scale serves co-altitudes – on account of the silver studs on the star-pointers. The plates with astrolabic markings cannot be used because they cannot be fixed in the mater and their markings are not correctly engraved. The markings on the back have no place on an astrolabe and the underlying latitude is not the same as the latitude intended for, but not achieved by, the plates. Aspects of the rete are problematic. The throne and rete are in the tradition of the prolific and highly competent astrolabist Abu Bakr Ibn Yusuf, who flourished in Marrakesh c.1200 and is known by several surviving pieces of the highest quality. The throne is most elegant and is unusual in that it is composed of four curved strips of metal; other such thrones are known on Maghribi astrolabes. The shackle and supporting ring are original.

The script is a Maghribi kufic. Many words are difficult to read and there are several orthographical errors, which is most unusual, especially on an astrolabe dedicated to a sultan.  Numbers are in the standard Maghribi forms of the Arabic alphanumerical (abjad) system.

The mater bears no markings. The scale on its rim is divided into labelled 5º intervals from 0º to 360º subdivided for each 1º. The distinctive rete design was clearly copied from an astrolabe in the tradition of Abu Bakr and is in essence well made. The counter-changed horizontal bar, the almost 'head'-shaped frame within the ecliptic, and the 'pear'-shaped and 'horse-shoe'-shaped frames on the bottom, are typical of that tradition. There are silver buttons at the bases of the star-pointers. The positions of some of the star-pointers are problematic, such as al-ta'ir. Some of the star names are problematic, such as m-l-d-f (?) al-dabaran, which may be a corruption of the name of a star in the lunar mansion al-zubana. The star-names al-ridf occurs twice, and al-fakka and munir al-fakka are one star. Two pointers are unnamed. The 7+9+7+7=30 stars named are (in order of the quadrants of the ecliptic – that is, counter-clockwise starting from the left) are:

Batn qaytus / unnamed / ra's al-ghul / al ayyuq / al-dabaran / qadam al-jawza / mankib al-jawza / al-abur / al-ghumaysa / m-l-d-f al-dabaran [sic] / unnamed /al-rijl / al-rukba / al-shuja / qalb al-asad / [janah] al-ghurab / al-a'zal / al-r[a]mih / al-fakka / munir al-fakka (repeated) / qalb al- 'aqrab / ra's al-hawwa / al-ta'ir (misplaced) / al-waqi' / al-dulfin / al-ridf / al-ridf (repeated) / dhanab al-jady / matan al-faras / dhanab qaytus

The names of the signs of the zodiac on the ecliptic ring are accompanied by their symbols.

There are five plates, each with markings on one side only. None of them has a peg to secure them within the mater. This is of particular concern for the plates with astrolabic markings. These purport to serve 34º, Meknes, and 35º Mecca (incorrect). Altitude circles are constructed for each 6º and azimuth circles for each 10º, and there are markings for the seasonal hours and prayer-times below the horizon. These astrolabic markings are inaccurately constructed. The other three plates contain calendrical, astrological and magical material. One is a simple calendrical disc displaying the day-number (Arabic madkhal, Latin feria) of the first day in each of the solar years in a 28-year cycle, with leap years indicated (kabisa), as well as the numbers for each month of the year. With this, if one knows where the cycle begins, one can determine the day of the week throughout the cycle. The two other plates contain information that was copied from another astrolabe. The only astrolabe with such information is a later Maghribi piece sold at Sotheby's on 8 October 2008, the description of which is repeated here:

On the second plate there is a circular table giving the positions of the beginnings of the 28 lunar mansions relative to the 12 signs of the zodiac. Each mansion occupies about 13º: see the article 'Manazil al-Kamar' in Enc. Islam, 2nd Edn. The table appears to have been conceived for four different sets of data, but only the information in the inner ring has been completed. The data given in the partially completed outer ring is identical to the corresponding entries in the inner ring. Because of the motion of precession, the mansions move slowly with respect to the ecliptic, and perhaps what we see here is the remains of four sets of values according to four different (unnamed) authorities in which most of the entries for a given mansion are identical (so that three of the four entries can be left blank) or differ by at most one digit.

The third plate is also engraved with information in circular tabular form. At the centre the four seasons are marked in each quadrant. Around these are the signs of the zodiac. Outside these are the alphanumerical Arabic numerals (abjad) running from 1 to 9, 10 to 90, 100 to 900, and 1000. The 28 divisions serving these 28 letters provide space for the names of the 28 lunar mansions and a sketch of their principal stars. Within the rings inside and outside of this information there are two sets of magical names that defy explanation, save that some of them seem to be names for angels.

The engravings on the back include two tables for timekeeping by the stars, a simple trigonometric quadrant and three inscriptions which appear to have been copied from another kind of instrument. Similar tables and inscriptions can be found on a curious astrolabic plate in Morocco described by M. Delphin in 1891. It has the same tables and a more sophisticated trigonometrical quadrant. The main inscription dedicated the piece to the prince Abu l-Hasan 'Ali, the viceroy of Fez, in A.H. 1197/A.D. 1782/83, and identifies the underlying latitude as 33º (Fez). Another such plate is circulating in the London market at present.

The tables on both this and the Delphin instruments serve respectively eight northern and eight southern stars, and show values of three functions of relevance to serious timekeeping by the stars: two auxiliary functions (bu'd al-qutr and al-asl al-mutlaq), and the right ascensions (al-matali). The first two are latitude dependent and are for latitude 33º. The inscription on the right correctly states: "this blessed plate has been constructed in an unusual/remarkable fashion". The inscription on the left states: "God is the best protector and He is the most merciful of all merciful ones".

The inscription at the top translates: "In the name of God, there is no strength and no power except in God: This astrolabe was presented by the sharifs of al-Nasiriyya to the Sultan Mawlay Isma'il for latitude 33º". The same basic text is found on the Delphin piece. The Nasiriyya were a branch of the Sufi order of the Shadhiliyya, based at the zawiya of Tamgrut in Southern Morocco. The order was founded in 1660 and Ahmad ibn Muhammad (1647-1717), the son of the founder, organised the order. Possibly during his activities the elders of the order decided to have somebody make an astrolabe for Mawlay Isma'il.

In brief, this astrolabe is surely what it claims to be, and one must probably understand that the Nasiri sharifs could not find anybody to make a serious astrolabe. Indeed they would have been lucky to find anybody outside the principal urban centres of the Maghrib with the necessary workshop. Mawlay Isma'il was too busy defending his realm to have been interested in astronomy, and indeed this astrolabe is in any case not for practical use. In the article on the Sultan in the Encyclopedia of Islam (VI, col. 892b) one sentence is probably relevant here:

"He gave the appearance of being interested in the intellectual activities of his subjects...". This astrolabe was surely a well-intentioned gift and some, including the Sultan, would not be concerned that it was of little functional value. This astrolabe is an important historical document, originating from the twilight period of the great age of astrolabe production in the Maghrib.

We are grateful to Professor David King for his assistance in preparing this catalogue entry.

bibliographical notes

The articles 'Mawlay Isma'il' and 'al-Nasiriyya' in the Encyclopaedia of Islam, 2nd Edn., are recommended. On the works of Abu Bakr ibn Yusuf see Mayer, Islamic Astrolabists, pp.32-33, Gunther, Astrolabes of the World, I, no.124 and King, In Synchrony with the Heavens, II, pp.44 and 53. For a history of astronomy in the Maghrib see King, 'Astronomy in the Maghrib'. For an ordered list of late Maghribi astrolabes see King, In Synchrony with the Heavens, II, pp.1010-12 and 1014-15.