Epact Scientific Instruments of Medieval and Renaissance Europe

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Horizontal Dial
Unsigned
16th century; German
Gilt brass; 85 mm in diameter

A circular box contains a central compass, with a magnetic declination mark, around which is drawn the hour diagram 4 to 12 to 8 with half hour divisions by lines and quarter hour divisions by points, for the dial used in conjunction with the folding gnomon set above the compass. This is decoratively shaped so as not to obscure the compass when it is folded down. The two faces of the gnomon are filled with decorative strapwork chiselled in light relief.

Anthony J. Turner

The dial is engraved on its rim with an equal scale divided in 24 parts, each subdivided to 1/2 and 1/4. The numbers '24' and '48' are engraved corresponding to the meridian line. The hour lines are engraved on the top of the dial from 4 to 12 to 8 with dots for the half hours. A sun effigy is engraved in the middle. The gnomon is triangular and decorated with the same strapwork as Epact nos 63427, 27017, 88912, 60949 and 39614. The compass case is engraved for magnetic declination and with the initials of the cardinal points 'ME', 'OCC', 'SE', 'ORT'.

Ilaria Meliconi

Istituto e Museo di Storia della Scienza, Firenze
Inventory no. 2538

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