Celestial Navigation
At the height of the Scientific Revolution, European innovation was excited by a constant stream of knowledge from other civilizations. Navigation enabled Europeans to discover foreign sources of knowledge, but Europeans would not even have been able to navigate the globe without mining knowledge and materials from other cultures. We have chosen four navigational instruments that all demonstrate how important extra–European ideas were to European exploration –– which, in turn, brought more foreign ideas to Europes shores, spinning the wheels of scientific discovery and creating the movement we have come to call the Scientific Revolution.
Functional Persian astrolabe
19th century
Brass
This functional Persian astrolabe is complete with celestial plates corresponding to specific latitudes and a rete ("star-net"). This rete includes star pointers written in Arabic to locate the specific position of certain stars, and an ecliptic ring, which maps the annual path of the sun. Astrolabe technology was refined and perfected in the Arab world, and Muslim merchants and travelers relied on its accuracy to direct them toward Mecca for prayer. Astrolabe technology and this specific astrolabe's usage by Arabic-speaking people underscores the global scope of scientific progress and the cross-cultural adoption of novel methodologies and instruments during the scientific revolution.
Mother plate from an imitation Persian astrolabe
19th century
Brass
The "mother" refers to the main body of the astrolabe. In this non-functional imitation astrolabe, the mother is inscribed with locations in the Middle East, including Mecca, Aleppo, and Basra. The Arabic inscriptions of Middle Eastern locations shed light on the intricate and richly developed trade network of the Arab world, providing evidence of the scientific expertise and sophistication of non-European peoples and their significant contributions to the exchange of scientific knowledge and technologies during the scientific revolution.
Octant
Appx. 1794-1817
Painted ebony wood, ivory, brass, and glass
Octants were first used in the 18th century as a tool for sailors to determine their position whilst at sea. This octant includes an ebony frame with an ivory inlay for better visualizing the scale on the bottom of the device. Ebony is a dark wood that is native to areas in India and Africa, and Ivory comes from elephant tusks found in Asia and Africa. The usage of these materials proves the significance of foreign influence and resources to European technological advancements.
Universal Equinoctial Sundial with Compass
Appx. 1760
Brass and glass
This portable sundial is capable of telling time at various latitudes, each of which is engraved alongside a corresponding city. The cities are mostly within the European continent, however Jerusalem, Cartagena, and Chandannagar, a French colony in India, are also included. The inclusion of these three cities not only evinces their pivotal role in an intricate web of global trade networks, but also attests to the impact of non-European peoples and resources on the advancements of the scientific revolution.