A Universal Plate for Timekeeping by the

Stars by Habash
al-Hiisib:
Text, Translation

and Preliminary Commentary

~ran~ois

Charette and Petra G. Schmidl

Introduction

Most publications of texts by historians of ancient and medieval exact sciencedemand ( 1) a mastery of the primary sources coupled with (2) an ability
to provide a technical interpretation within (3) an acceptable historical perspective. The authors of the present paper, while hoping to have satisfied
the first and third cri leria, have to admit their present inability to fu lfil the
second one adequately. In this paper we present an Arabic treaLise on the
construction of a 'universal plate' for timekeeping by the stars. No such
instrument is known from Islamic or European sources. I

'Universal plates' in Islamic sources usually correspond 10 one of the following three
devices: (I) the 'plate of horizons' (ul ~aF!/O allifoqiyyu) or its geoerolizalioll by Ibn
Bii~, (2) the universal stereogrophic projection on the front of the plates known as the
shakkiiziyya and the zarqol/jyya or on the mater of the universal Dstrolabe, and (3) the
orthogonal projection on the back of thc zarqiilliy)'tI. In a paper by Prof. Paul Kun itzsch
(1994, p. 85), there is a rcference to a treatise in a manuscript in the collection of Khan
Malik Sasani in Ir.m, entitled Kiliib Ii 'Ama/lmlsalla!1 yaqilmlllllaqiima al(Js.lurliib [fi]
jam/' al.<urUt) walbuh/On (,Book on the construction of a planisphere which takes the
place of the astrolabe Jinl all latitudes and places'). It would be very interesting to
know which kind of instrument this refers to. but unfonunately the manuscript is not
accessible to us.

108

F. Charette & P. Schmidl

The treatise is anonymous but we can attribute it with confidence to the

renowned ninth-century Abbasid astronomer I:Iabash a1~1:Iasib. This instru
ment of his is a computing device of great ingenuity. Although our under
standing of se~ral details of its construction is not satisfactory, the text and
the accompanying illustrations give us a more or less limpid picture of its
morphology. Unfortunately, not a single word of the text is devoted to its
use, and we have not yet been able stretch our imaginations far enough to
'crack' thi s problem. We therefore submit J:labash's text to colleagues in
the hope that some of them might help us to see more light about how this
ninth-century scientist might have conceived the practical operation of his
invention.
The unique copy of the text which is the object of the present study
is found in an important manuscript in Oxford (Bodleian Marsh 663) con~
taining an impressive collection of scientific texts, most of them from the
early period of Islamic science, which was copied between Rajab 639 H and
Mu~arram 640 H by IbrahIm b. 'Abd al~'AzIz b. 'Abd AlHih al-'Uman. 2
A second manuscript in London (British Library Or. 426 = Add. 7473,
dated 639 H) originally formed together with the Oxford manuscript a single book. which was later split in two halves. 3 Yet a third manuscript in the
SUleymaniye Library in Istanbul (Yeni Cami 784). containing (I) the Pentateuch of Dorotheos, (2) the Zij of J.:Iabash al-I:HiSib,4 (3) ai-Zij ai-Jami' of

On this manuscript see the lacunary description by Uri ( t787). sub no. CMXLI. Studies
based on various parts of this collection include: Rosenthal (1950). Rosenthal ( 1949).
Pingree (1968). p. 63, Kennedy (1968). Kennedy (1990) and Burnett & Yamamoto
& Yano ( 1997). Both authors of the prescnt paper could examine this manuscript at
the Bodleian Library in July 1997. We are grateful to Dr. Colin Wakefield for his
ge nerously giving us access to il and providing photographs of the section dealing with
I:fabash's instrument.
On the contents see CCMO. !mb no. 426. Taken together the Oxford and London
manuscripts encompass 379 folios. but the original foliation in Coptic numerals shows
us that the original majma'a was an impressive book of at least 516 folios1 The
first author of this paper has prepared a description of the two manuscriptS for fUlure
publication.
On this work see Debamot (1987).

S"tu~12(21Wll)

1:Jabash's

Ull i~ersa/

Plate

109

Kushyar b. Labban, as well as (4) Kushyar's treatise on the astrolabe, reveals

the same characteristic handwriting and paleographical peculiarities as the
two above-mentioned manuscripts and was clearly also copied by Ibrahim
al-'Umari:'i
On p. 205 of the Oxford manuscript an anonymous and untitled treatise
begins with the words "if we want ( 0 construct the plate, we make the universal plate ... ". Since a few foli os of the codex have been bound in disorder,
the text beginning on pp. 205-206 actually continues on pp. 239-247 . In the
upper margin of p. 205 a later reader has given this treatise a short title: jf
al-~'afi{Ja al-jiimi'a ('on the universal plate'). In the last sentence of the text
on p. 247, however, what was presumably the original ti tle of the treatise is
mentioned more pre~isely as fi 'amal al-faftfw al-jam j'a ('on the construction of the uni versal plate'). The possible sign ificance of this treatise was
already recognized by Fuat Sezgin in Ihe sixth volume of his CesclJic/Jle des
arabischen Schrijtlllms.6 Some three decades earlier, Franz Rosenthal had
already tentatively attempted to identify this treati se with al-Kindi's R. ft
ai- 'Amal bi-l-iila al-musammii al-jiimi'a ('Treatise on the Use of the Instrumenl Called the Universal One,).7 This supposition has been repeated with
caution by Charles Burnett, Keiji Yamamoto and Michio Yano in a recent
paper.8
A preliminary investigation of this work was conducted by us in the
Spring of 1997 as part of a seminar on Arabic scientific texts given by Prof.
David King at Frankfurt University.9 It was soon realized that J:labash al-

This confinns the dating of this manuscri pt by Krause (1938) and Sczgin (1978) to the
th irteenth eentury.

Sezgin (1978). p. 28 1 under the heading 'Ein Anonymus': "Die Hisa/(I (... 1. tiber das
PlanispMrium {sic]. steht auf einem hohen Niveau astronomischer Mathematik."

,
6

Rosenthal (1949), p. 150; a treatise with this title is attributed to al-Kindi by Ibn Abi
U~aybi 'a. If the 'philosopher of the Arabs' was indeed the author of a work wi th this
title, then it would concern the use of some universal instrument (not necessaril y a
' plate'). Hence it cannot be identical with the text extant in manustnpt Marsh 663.
Bunletl , Yamamoto & Yano (1997), pp. 6 1-62, esp. n. 12.
The treatise had also been studied by King and Dorothea Girke seven or eight years

11 0

F. Chareuc & P. Schmidl

l:Ias ib was a serious cand idate for author. The fi rst reason for our suspicion
was mainly the part icu lar value of the latitude given in one of the worked
examples, as well as the star coordinates given in the tables. We shall now
discuss these points furt her and present more evidence fo r our altribution.

1. /

Th e attributiolJ 10 f:/abash

T here are four decisi ve arguments in support of our attribution:

I. The latitude 34 (intended fo r SamalTa, the Abbasid capital from

22 1/836 unti l 279/892) is used in a worked example (p. 240 o f the
manuscript; see ou r edition below): the use of this latitude is peculiar
10 many o f l;Iabash's writings. In his Zfj all of hi s worked examples
as well as the star table mention the name of, or employ the latitude
of Samarra,lO and li kewise in his treatise on the melon astrolabe. 1 f
David King has recently argued that the treatise on su nd ials attributed
to al-Khwarizmi might actually be by J:labash, firstly because in Ibn
al-Nadim 's bi bliography such works are indeed associated to the former and not to the laller, and secondly because "the most elaborate
tables in the sel are for lati tude 34". 12 Il is not known whether alKhwarizmi was ever associated with the Abbasid court at Samarra,
although it is true that we know very little about his life.13 T he only

before us. In 1991. however. we began from scralch.

"

Sec Dcoomot (1987).

"

Ken nedy, Ku ni tzsch & Lorch (1999). 1\110 olher works by I~ abash have been pu blished,
one deating with the use of the spherical astrolabe (see Kunitzseh and Lorch (1985,
and anothcr one entitled On Ih~ Sizes ond Di.slonc~s, which in fact discusses various tOPics relating to the achievements of the group of scientists who worked for al-Ma'mun;
it was probab ly written in Baghdad shortly after Ihe caliph's death - see Langerma nn
( 1985) and King (2000). Rida A,K, Irani's M,A. thesis entitled " The Jodwo/ ol-towqrm
of l;Iabash al- l;Iisib". (American University of Beirut, 1956) has unfonunately never
been published.
Ki ng ( 1999), p. 350.
But the same remark also applies to l;Iabash!

/:fa!JtJSh's Universal Plale

III

astronomers apart from I:Jabash who can be securely associated with

Samarra were in fact the Banti Musa and al-Mahani l4 We do not
know to what extent they might have collaborated with him , but it
appears that f:labash adopted several parameters based on thei r respective observations, IS
2. The star table encountered in the work under discussion was directly
taken from f:l abash's version of the Mllmta!lQn star table in his ZJj; 16
furthermore some star coordinates not found in the latter source are
confinned in J:labas'h's treatise on the melon astrolabe. J7
3. In a worked example, values are given fo r the S ines of 34 and
56 , and these again cOITespond exactly with the respective entries
of J:labash's Sine table,ls

See Saylh (1960), pp. 92- 94. al-BIn}nT and Ibn Yunus report several observations made
by the Banu Musil in Samarra. It is curious that l:Iabash's association with this city is
never menlioned in Ihe siandard biographical articles. such as Hartner ( [97 1) and Tekeli
(1972), or even in SaYIII's essay on Islamic observatories cited above. T he first menlion
is in ract in Debamot (1987),

"

In his Qanun. al-BiriinT states that in general, I:{abash's paramelers derive rrom the
observations of the Banu Musa (Debarnol (1987), p. 43). At one place in his Zij, f:Jabash
gives an example for latitude 34; 12 (instead of the rounded value 34 which he usually
employs). 34; 12 is precisely the latitude of Samarra which is recorded by al-Biriini in
his Qiiniin (Kennedy & Kennedy, 1987) and also in his Ta!ldia (al-Biriini, pp. 85, 2122 13). al-Biriini does not ascri be the delermination of this value to anybody in particular,
but says thaI it was due 10 "olher observations [Ihan those of Ihe Banu Musa he quoted]"
(p. 85), and also th at it was accepted by Ihe majority (p. 213). In fact, we learn from Ibn
Yunus (MS Leiden Or. 143 [= 1057]. p. 223) that it was al-MahanT who found il on Ihe
basis of obscrvations conducted in Samarra in 243 H (= 857 A. D.). This measurement
is remarkable since it is only one minute different than the modem val ue for Samarra
(34" 13') given in Kennedy & Kenne!ly (1987).

"

See note 11 3 on p. 139 for reference to the sources.

"

E.g, the declination ofJam al-samalca (see Table 3, note I, on p. 143) and the mediation
and declination of suhayl (see Table 4. note C, on p. 144 and note m 10 the table on
p. 146).

"

Seen. 119 0np. 150.

112

F. Charette & P. Schmidl

4. Two different values of the obliquity can be detected in this work,

namely 23;35 and 23;33. The fonner parameter underlies a list of
right ascensions given in the text (see p. 151 below) and the latter is
explicitly visible on the declination scale featured in Figure 6 (analysed on p. 154). It is well known that J:labash used the value 23;35 in
his Zijl9 and in the treatise on the melon astrolabe. 20 In the first version of his Jadwa/ al-taqwfm, however, J:labash had rather e mployed
23;33 ,21 The parallel use by l:Iabash of these two different values of
the obliqu ity is confi med by Ibn Yiinus. 22
S. Fi nally, the style and technical terminology of the treatise on the universal plate are very close to those encountered in the trealise on the
melon astrolabe. Four examples might suffice to illustrate this claim:
(a) On some geometrical diagrams, numbers in abjad notation are
used as ' diagram letters' designating specific points of a numerical scale associated with those numbers. For example a point
associated with a longitude of 12 degrees measured from point A
will be denoted A- 12 ( ......... I). Com pare Secti on [5] of the present
treatise with f. 1 47r:8~24 of l:Iabash's treatise on the melon astrolabe (Kennedy, Kunitzsch & Lorch. pp. 64-67). Incidentally,
the respective sections of both works tum out to be very simi lar;
see further our commentary on Section [7]. This method of lettering is a unique and extremely interesti ng example of a fully
neglected aspect of Islamic scientific practice, namely the techniques employed to convey non verbal infonnation by means

"

Oebamol (1987), p. 47.

20

Kennedy, Kunitl.SCh & Lorch (1999), pp. 97. 102.

"

Debamol (1987). pp. 48, 62. This value is repor1ed to have been determined in 213 H
by YaJ:1yi b. Abi Man~Qr, see alBiliini, pp. 89-91.
MS Leiden Or. 143. p. 223.

S.....,.ll(~III)

~-fablUh'j

Universal Plait

11 3

of diagrams, graphs, tab les, etc. 2J The procedure of combining

letters and numerals for marking e lements of a mathematical d iagram is apparently fi rst attested in Europe in some works by
Leibni z.24
(b) The peculiar use, in both treatises, of the word majrii (instead of
J/1adiir) in the expression maylmajrii al-k,awiikib 'all mu'addil
al-l1alll7.r, to designate the dec lination of fi xed stars. Compare
Sections (2) and [3} and Table 3 of our edition with f. 14 1r:7- 8
and Tab le ~ of the trealise on the melon astrolabe (pp. 18 and 88
of the edition, respectively).
(c) T he ex pression ka-hay'at ... (' in the fo nn of, such as [some
geometrical element],) in reference to a geometrical diagram.
Compare the first sentence of our edition with the treatise on the
melon astrolabe (f. 14 1r: 8, p. 18 of the edition).
(d) T he common structure of Sections [2} and [3} of our treatise
and of the various problems presented in the first half of the
treatise on the melon astrolabe. which consists of fi rst presenting a graphical solution to a given problem, then its equivalent
trigonometric fonnula and fi nally a worked example.
More details concerning the points evoked in items 2 and 3 wi ll be given
in our com mentary. Another argument in favou r of J:labash is the fact that
three short sections extracted from his Zij - and explici lly attributed to him
- do appear in the Oxford manuscri pt:
I. Min Zij f:labash Ii ma'rifat masTr ai-shams wa-I-qarirar al-mu~aMIQ!t
(pp. 55- 56): identical with the section of l:labash's ZIj in MS Istanbul
Yeni Cami 784/2, f. 15 1v: 11-22.
2. Ma'rifat bu'd ai-shams min markaz ai-art! li- f:labash (p. 56): corresponds to MS Istanbul, ff. 151v:2:1- 152r:5.
23

On the lettering of d iagrams in Greek mathematics see the fascinating study by Reviel
Nelz (1999). pp. 12-67.
Sec Cajon (1928--29). I, p. 421.

11 4

F. Ch<lrettc & P. Sc hmidJ

3. Bab F mo'rifat bu'd al-qamar min [markaz al-ar~ 1i-ljabashJ 25

(p. 57): corresponds to MS Istanbul f. 152r:6_ 15. 26

4. Finally, the table on pp. 55- 56 corresponds to thal in MS Istanbul,

f. 153r. 27

1.2

General preseutatioll of the treatise

The text we now publish belongs to the laler period of J:labash's presum ably long career, and it was possibly during an interval of about a decade
before or after it that he composed his trealise on the melon astrolabe, wi th
which it shares several clements of form and contents. It is indeed fortunate
that th is very interesting work by f:labash has been the object of a recent
publication by three of the foremost specialists in the history of Islamic aslronomy.28 In a recent publication, David King has made the interesting
observation that l:Iabash's universal plate for timekeeping by the stars might
be the 'sister-instrument' of the medieval European naviclIla de Velletiis, a
universal instrument for determining the time from the altitude of the sun,
thereby fonnu lating the conjecture that l:Iabash might also have been the
inventor of the latter (not necessarily in the form of a ship).29 Whereas it
is not ou r intention to deny the possibility of an Islam ic predecessor of the
European navicllla, nor to deny l:Iabash's ability to invent an ingen ious in-

25

T he upper-left comer of this page is damaged in the manuscri pt so that the end of the
first few lines are illegible.

"

Items 1-3 have been translated and analysed in ai-Saleh (1970).

For a description of those four items see Debarnot ( 1987). p. 49, under Vc-Vd, Ve.
and Table 29, respectively.

vr

Kennedy, Kunitzsch & Lorch (1999).

"

King ( 1999), pp. 351- 358. esp. the conclusion on p. 354: ''The tentative connection
of the idea behind the universal hour-dial on the navicula with J:labash is suggested by
the fact thai il was he who designed a device JOT limekeeping by Ihe SlaTS which is also
highly ingenious" [emphasis in the originalJ.

115

UalH/,vh's U"iversal Plait!

strument of this kind, we cannot at present confi nn King's hypothesis.:\O LeI

us hope that further research will shed more light on thi s issue. We now turn
to 1:labash's own description of a vel)' interesting device.

2 Text
Source: MS Oxford. Bod leian Marsh 663, pp. 205-206 and 239-247.

EdilOrial remarks: Words between acute brac kets arc our restorations to th e
< ... > . All hamws have been s ilently restored,
so thaI o)b would be written o..tb in the manuscript, and _)": would be written as
lext. Lacunae arc rendered as

j.r:- ,etc. Because we are d ealing with a unique copy, we have Ihoug htappropriate
to reproduce vowel ing and nunalion (tamvfn) as they appear in th e manuscript. but
we have also indicated vowels whenever it faci litates the understanding of the text,
especially with verbal form s. The copy ist's usage of shadda s is rare but c urious,31
so our shaddas do not reflect th ose in the manuscript. We a lso represent the punctuation sign used by th e copy ist - a small circle open at the lOp, wilh a dot in the
middle. s imilar to the letter.,) - in this edition by the symbol

O.

JO

II should be noted. however, that at least three sets of trigonometric markings are featured on the universal instrument described in this paper as well as on the rravicu/a:
(I) the latitude scale along the upper half of the ver1ical diameter, which in both cases
corresponds to the tangent of the latitude, (2) the lateral declination scale, and (3) the
sine markings in the lower half (see fUr1her Section 5.2 below). It is also true that both
inst ruments arc clearly intended to solve similar problems of spherical astronomy; the
navicula, however. strictly serves for finding the time from Ihe solar alti tude in a mechanical way, whereas the universal plate seems to be a much more versatile device,
whose operation requires that the user be fully in control of his subject.

"

For example, we encounter in the basmaln ./)1 and in the first line .,;".ul! But in the
first case the shadda might be intended foc the preceding letter.

116

F. Ctmrellc & P. Schmidl

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44

("AI.illi should probably 10 be emended into .Jlyjl

45

All figures and tables are reproduced in facsimile on pp. 126-129 below.

46

~ J ~J~ MS

41

48

J,..:o: MS

49

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50

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$"'"111 (2001)

119

lJabash 's U"iversal Plate

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122

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F. Charelle & P. Schmid1

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f:/abl1sh '$ UnivelSol Plate

S,,1a~'2(200')

129

F. Charette & P. Schmidt

130

Translation

NOles of the editors: Words between parentheses are our addit ions to render the
translation more intell igible to a modern reader. Text between square brackets cor
respond to emendations made to the Arabic text. All numbers arc written with
fu ll words in the text ; the only exception is the number 45 in the header of Table
I, wh ich is noted in abjad. When the words daraja or jill.' appear in the Arabic
text, we render them in our translation with the word 'degree', but when they are
implicitly assumed, we use the symbol '0' instead.

Treatise on the construction of the universal plate

(205)
In the name of God the Merciful and Compassionate
and to Him we call for hel p.
[11
If we want to construct the plate, we make the universal plate (as
foll ows): we draw a ci rcle in any size we wish in the fonn of circle ABCD
and di vide ito; upper hal f, adjacent to the suspensory apparatus, into 18 0
equal parts. From the degree markings with which we want to divide the
plate in the quadrant for measuring the altitude, we draw lines cutting the
zenith line, which goes from the suspensory apparatus to the lowest point
(i.e. the centre H ), at right ang les (to it). These (lines) will be the sines on
the quadrant as we have d rawn (them) in quadrant AB and this will be the
sine quadrant
[2.1] We suppose in quadrant AD some fi xed stars whose paths (across the
sky) we find inclined by up to 45 degrees (declination) in the direction of
north or south . We (would like to) mark the positions that result from these
on quadrant AD. We measure from point D on arc CD the amount of the
greatest declination of the star we wish to trace on the plate as we have
measured the greatest declination on arc DW as 45 degrees. We draw two
lines WZ and WE and measure from point D on arc DW the declination of
the star we wish as we measure arc DH . We draw from point H two lines,
(one) parallel to (line) DE (and the other to) EG. These wi!: be the two
lines HT and YH . We draw from point Y line Y KL parallel to line EG: We
Suloayt 1 (21101)

!falm .I, '.f UIIII'<'r.ml P/lIIl'

13 1

measure wi th the compass (m's al_mithl'llr)1l7 the length of line ET, a nd

we put one o f its two legs on centre E, the othe r where it reaches on line
KL. There we mark point M. We dmw the line EMN passing through poi nt
M and cutting quadrant AD at N. At thi s point N we trace the star poi nter
w hose path (across the sky) we rind incl ined to Ihe equator by the am ou nt
of arc DH to the north or [0 Ihe soulh .
[2.2J If we w ish (to determine) the position o f the star pointer on the quadrant of the plate by the method of calcuilition. we mu lt iply the sine of the
decli nation of the star by the cosine o f the greatest declination. We have divided the product by the s ine of the greatest declinntion and the quotient we
multiply by 60. The n we di vide the product by the cos ine of the declinati on of the star. The result will be the si ne of the a rc corresponding to the
position of the stur pointe r on tht! quadrant.
[2.3] Example. We find the star Cape lla (lIl 'lIyyiiq) at 5 degrees and 5
minutes of Gemini. Its latitude in the direction of north of the ec liptic is 22
degrees and 50 minutes and it cu lminates (with the point of the ecl iptic) at
29 (206) degrees and 47 minutes of Taums. Its decl ination is 43 degrees
and 36 minutes north. We make arc Dfl 43 degrees and 36 minutes. Its
sine is line NT and line Y K is the same. <... ... > 88 The star pointer
(wi ll ind ic:Jte) the inclination o f its path (across the sky) to the equator. The
inclination of its path to the zodiacal belt 1l9 appears at the star pointe r.
(Figu re I )

[3.1] (239) We draw again circle ABGD and measure on arc DG the dec
lination of the star w ith the greatest declination appearing on the plate. a nd

"'

liere che ,Iuthor chose the unusual. but appropriatc Arabic word lIIid\\,(ir to dcslgnmc a
compass: clsewhcrc he uses the Arnbicized Persian hirjtir.

M8

There is a lacuna of several tines here. The mIssi ng part certainly continued with the
geometncal construction and tngonometnc calculation for finding the posicion of lhe
pointer for Capella. according to lhe procedure presented in 12.11 and [2.21. Moreo\'er.
the tasttwo sentences appear to be corrupt. so our translation is problematic.

H9

The expreSSIon 'zodiacal belt' should probably be emended into equator'.

132

F. Charette & P. SchmuJI

arc GW 90 will be 45 degrees. We draw from point W two lines WZ and HW,
(one) parallel 10 (line) DE (and the other to) G and measure from point D
on quadrant DC arc DT91 as the amount of the latitude of any locali ty we
wish. We draw line ET cutling line WZ at point Y and draw line KY L par
allel to line DE. We measure with the compass the di stance EH. We put
one of its extremities on centre E. the other where it culS line KY L and mark
on it M. We draw line EMN 92 and draw NS parallcl to line DE. Line ES
will be the sine of the half-excess of daylight of any star whose declination
equals arc GW 93 which we have taken as 45 degrees in that region whose
latitude will be equal arc DT. At point S we suppose the line of the equation
of daylight of the star on line EH.
(Figure 2)

[3.2] (240) If we wish the longest half-excess of daylight for declination94

45 by the method of calculation we multiply < the sine of> the declination
of the star by the sine of the latitude of the region. T hen we divide the
product by the cosine of the latitude of the region. The quotient we multiply
by 60. Then we divide the product by the cosine of the declination. The
quotient will be the sine of half-excess of daylight of a northern star or the
sine of the half diminution of daylight of a southern star with respect to
daylight of the equinoxes in that region.
[3.3] Example. In our region where the latitude, is, fo r example, arc DT 34
degrees 95 and its Sine ar is 33;33,6 approximately. Arc GT is 56 degrees
and its Sine OE is 49;44,30,30. Each of the arcs DW and GW are 45 degrees

90

1bc: lext has DW. This makes no difference in the particular case of t..n... = 45, but in
general the procedure would be wrong if DW were to represent the maximal declination.

91

TIle text has GT.

92

The text has RMN ror ZMN.

93

The text has DW .

9-4

The text has ' lati tude'.

Latitude 34 is for Samarra. See the discussion in the introduction on p. 110.

suhayt I (20:11 )

ijllbt,.fhs U";lIu:ml

PIU/~

133

(and) each of their sines are the lines WZ and EZ. Likewise line EM will
be 42;25,35. If we multiply (the length of) line TO by (the length 01) EZ%
and we di vide the product by (the length of) line OE, the quotient will be
(the length of) line YZ and (the lengt h of) line EK is the same, namely
28;37. If we mulliply (the length of) E K by (the length of) EN, namely 60,
and then divide the product by (the length of) line EM , the quotient will be
(the length of) line ES, namely 40;28,10 approximately and arc DN wi ll be
42:25 approximately.
Likewise we calculate the si nes of the equation of daylight of the stars
for all remaining regions but in order to make it easier for us to find it, w hen
it is needed. we make a table for which we begin with the climate inscribed
as latitude 12 (degrees). We take the increment (of the arguments) of the
table as two degrees, and we finish with latitude 44 degrees.
[4]
We add to line G in the quadrant BG a tabular scale (ja(/wa/) on
which appear the sines of the half-excess of daylight of the region to facilitate findin g the equation of daylight of the fi xed stars. In the same way we
also add 10 line DE on quadmnt AD 91 a tabular scale in which appear the
si nes of the half-excesses of daylight for the summer solstice ( lit. the beginning of Cancer). The sca le wi ll touch the region marked for lat itude 12 and
go up 10 latitude 54 098 for finding the equation of daylight of the degrees of
the ecliptic in that region.
(24 1)
[Table 1 (right-hand side)]
Table for the half-excess of daylight for declination 45 for the equation of
day light of the stars on the plate. Latitude of the localities. Arcs of the
half-excess of dayli ght for declination 45. Sines of the arcs of the
half-excess of daylight for declination 45.

96

TIle texl has ED.

97

The leXI has AG.

"

Perhaps we should read 44. as in Figure 37 But the last argument of Table 2 is 51!
TI)Cre is obviously son)C confusion here. It is possible thaI 1:labash originally intended
Table 2 to end with argument 54: in this ease only the last line would be missing in lhe
table.

r.

134

CharCllL' &

1'. So:Imllul

[Table 2 (Iert.hand side)]

Table for the half-excess of daylight for the summer solstice for the
equation of daylight of the degrees of the ecli ptic on the plate. Latitude of
localities. Arcs of the half-excess or daylight of the su mmer solstice. Si nes
o f the arcs of Ihe halfexcess of day light of the Sli mmer solstice.
(242)
[Table 3 (right-hand side)]
Di reclion of the disc of the star pointers on the universal plate. T he names
of the stars. Direct ion of the disc of the star pointers on the quadrant of the
universul plate. Inclination of the path of the stars from the equator to the
north. What appears on the universa l plate on the southern belt. Incli nation
of the path of the stars from the equator.

{Table 4 (Ieft hand side)]

Direction of the disc of the star pointers on the belts of the z.odiac and of
the equator. The names of the stars. Direction of the disc of the star
pointers on the equatorial bel t. Direction of the disc of the star pointers on
the zod iacal bell.
(243)
(Figure 3)

[5]
We suppose on the other side of the plate the zodiacal belt and this
will be circle ABGD. 99 We begin at point A corresponding to the beginning
of Aries. We di vide quadrant AB IOO with the right ascensions of the degrees

99

The text has AKzGD. 'K z' is- written together as if it were the abjad notation for
'27'. It is significanlthat the integer part of a(). = 30) is 27. On Figure 4 there is a
hardly legible symbol vis-1t-vis the end of Aries on the longitude scale. This could be
the origin of the confusion. But it is stra nge that '27' (Kz) would represent this point
instead of '30' (L), according to the convention introduced in the next few lines. And
the systematic confusion in this section between the leiters Kz and B to des ignate the
end of the first quadrant is likewise difficult to understand.

tOO The ttxt has A Kz.

Subayl 2 [2(01)

HfI"tu" '.~ Umw'r.<lll Plfllt'

135

o f the eclipt ic. accord ing to the divisions with which we want to di vide the
plate. be it bi-. tri- or sexpart ite. If we want il sex partite, a right ascension of
6 degrees from the beginning of Aries will be arc A_6 101 (corresponding 10) 5
degrees and a half; a right ascension of 12 degrees frolll il (i.e .. the begin ning
of Aries) will be arc A-12 (corresponding to) II degrees and one minute; a
right ascension of 18 degrees from it will be arc A- IS (corresponding to)
16 (244) degrees and 35 minutes; a right ascension of 24 (degrees) fro m
it will be arc A-24 (corresponding to) 22 degn.."Cs ,md 12 minutes; a right
ascension for the end of Aries will be arc A-30 (corresponding to) 27 degrees
and 53 minutes; a ri ght ascension for the end of Taurus will be arc A-60
(correspond ing 10) 57 degrees and 37 102 mi nutes; a ri ght ascension for the
end of Gemin i will be arc AB 1o., (corresponding to) 90 degrees. We di vide
the remaining three quadrants of the plate, each of the quadrants with the
same divisions as on the one opposite it.
16) We make the diameter of the largest circle divide the smallest circJe lO4
in two different arcs so that the arc in the di rection of the begi nning of Aries
will correspond 10 the arc o f daylight of Capricorn in that region and (the
other arc) in the directi on of the beginning of Libra will correspond to the
< arc of> daylight of Cancer in that region. < ... > 10$ We put (lit. we
suppose) the movable cu r!>or (sh(1~ iyya) at the position of the circle of lhe
smu ll plate in the region we wish. Likewise we put (IiI. we suppose) on the
movable cursor for all of the regions we wish < ... >
(7J

Then we take an alidade (for measuring) the altitude, pierced at lhe

1(11 11le notation A-II. which we have oorrowed from Kennedy, Kunituch & Lorch ( 1999,
p. 67),represents the arc going from A to a point labelled with the abjad notat ion for II,
relatillg to the right ascension of an ecliptic arc of n". Cf. p. 112
\02

Read 47.

10~

l nc text has A Kz.

104 This smaller plate has oot been introduced yet, but sec Section 191, which should logically precede this Section.
10~

Lacuna'!

Suh>yll nUll)

F.

C'h~rcnc

& P. Schnlll.ll

cent re. on whi ch there are two slotted rules (II/(/j r ijlo() running from the
pole (qll!b)IU7 to the rim of the circle: these divide the breadth of the alidade
equally :tt ri ght ang les. We divide the side of the alidade adjacelll to the pole
according to the graduation of the diameter in 18 lUll equal parts. We di vide
the other side according to the divisions of the sines in the fonn we have
divided line A on quadrant AB of the plate.
(8)
We take also a fi ne cursor (Shll;iYYlI) with two different sides. one
(side) like a catch (IIItlllltlllw <a) and its opposite like the latch (~abb(l), on
the diameter of the plate going down from the position of the suspensory ap
paratus to the lowest point of the large plate. We take the length of this cur
sor larger than one sixth of the diameter of the circle of the largest plate, so
that if we make the two centres of the two plates (coincide at) one pole and
if we make their perpendicular diameters (tlll"(lbrahtl) (coi ncide) precisely
(on) one line. then we wi ll make them (Le., their common diameters?) meet
the (outer) side of the scale of the smaller plate < and > the (inner) side of
the cursor.l09 Then we move the small plate which moves unifonnly on the
diameter of the larger plate. which goes down from the beginning of Aries
to the beginning of Libra. and we move the pierced tabu lar scale (also) u n i~
fonn ly. The cursor wiII take up its position in the way which we have shown
in this fi gure. We move the small plate at the inner part of the larger (plate)
uniformly about (?) the two diameters of these Iwo until the distance of these
two diameters com ing down from the Iwo (common centres?) at the middle
of the smaller circle will correspond to the arc of half-excess of daylight in
Cancer over (the arc of) half~daylight at the equ inoxes in that region.

(245)
( Figure 4)

106 A majra in this context means a slotted rule, in which the sha?iyyo can be moved.
107 On an astrola be qU.th refers to the broad-headed pin passing through the hole at the
centre. See Kunit zsch ( 1982), p. 545.
t08 The text has 28.
109 The Arabic text of the last sentence is quite obscure, and our translation is intended as
a tentative reconstruction.

l;IalxulJ's Univtrro/ Plate

137

The second alidade

The back of the plate
[9) We suppose inside of this belt on this plate the scale WZHT J 10 to represent the equator. We begin from line AE and divide (this scale) into 360
equal parts. We suppose the star pointers to be at those points which correspond to their mediation. Then we prepare a small plate whose diameter
is approximately two thirds of the diameter of the large plate in the fonn of
plate Y K IM.III We divide it into 360 equal parts and we pierce along its diameter with two rectangular and parallel holes of equal length and breadth,
one of them (running) (246) from the centre of the circle to the beginning
of the divisions and Ule other from its rim opposite to the beginning of the
divisions towards the centre like the two tabular scales. They should not
join each other and there should be enough space in-between on the plate
so that we can grasp it, and so that they do not sepantle from each other.
We take a movable cursor (sha;iyya) corresponding to the scale which we
pierce inside the plate close to the centre, and it will be like the slotted rule
(l1IC1,jrii) on the tabular sca le without one half of the splits (jilqa) and without
the ruler. We mount it on the front of the plme bearing the small plate, if
God wi lls.
(Figtlre 5)

(247)
(Figtlre 6)

Figure of the alidade

The tuwer II/ajrii
divided into 60
divided a~ the radius of the plate

111e upper majra

divided as the radius of Ihe plale
divided into 60

The treatise on the construction of the universal plate is completed. To Him

who gives understanding: pmise without end and thanks without limit.
IIIl The text ha.~ ZHT .
III '1lCtexlhas KLM.

S"h>yI 21~ .!I )

F. Charette & P. Schmidl

138

The Tables

Two dislinct sels of numerical tables are presented by J:labash in his treati se. In the first two tab les, functions related to timekeeping are tabul ated
for a range of terrestria l latitude. The half excess of daylight and the Sine
thereof are featured in Table I for a declination 11 = 45 and for arguments
of latitude q, = 12, 14, ... ,44 , and these can be eltpressed as
arcSin(Tan q,)

and

Tanq,

for the entries in the first and second columns, respectively, where the tangent fun ction is to base R = 60 (Le., Tanq, = Rtanq,). T he same fun ctions
are also featured in Table 2. but for a declination corresponding to the obliquity of the ecliptic , so that they can be expressed as
arcS in

Tanq, Tan

and

Tanc; Tan

We present an edition of both tables as they appear in our sole source,

together with recomputed values and restorations of the entries . It is indeed
evident that i:Jabash's original tables - which were, as we shall see, very
accurately computed - have heavil y suffered at the hands of successive generations of copy ists. The entries in the second columns of both tables under
the heading 'recomp.' are based on exact recomputation with the modem
fonnulae given above. Recomputations of the entries in the fi rst column of
each table are fou nd by calculaLing the arcSine of the restorations of the
corresponding entries in the second column .1 12 Since this also corresponds
to the logical order of campi lalion of the tables, we have displayed the second column before the fi rst one. Errors in seconds are indicated neltt to those
recomputations (following the convention error text - recomputation); errors larger than 60 seconds that are due to scribal errors are indicated by'! !'"
In the third column all entries obviously corrupted by scribal errors have

112

For this purpose we have also compared the resulls with the exact arcSine against those
found wilh I;tabash's Sine table (see n. 119), using linear interpolat;on. 8U1lhe few
divergences from modem computation were not significant.

Suhoyll ('lOO 1)

Uabas/"s

U/li~ersal

Plale

139

been restored. and the actual (original) errors have been given next to them;
restored digits are underlined. Several entries in the firs t columns of Tables
I and 2 have zeros in the seconds: Ihis could indicate that either a copyist
replaced illegible entries for the seconds by zeros, or that rounding and/or
truncation occured at an early stage (either by J:labash or an early copyist).
Closer examination, however, makes the first hypothesis inacceptable, for at
least six entries in both tables have been clearly rounded IIpwards; indeed all
entries with zero in the seconds can be explained by rounding to the nearest
minute. Why some of the entries were rounded and ot.hers were nOI remains,
however, a mystery. In the edition below rounding has been indicated by ' r'.
T he fac t that Tables I and 2 reveal no nu merical interdependance is rather
surprising. since we would expect the entries in the second column of Table
2 with the same arguments $ as those in the second column of Table I to
have been found by mUltiplying the latter by the constant Tanc:, but th is is
not the case. Two independent (co)tangent tables appear to have been used.
The next set of tables contains lists of stars wi th various coordinates.
Ou r analysis has revealed that these are identical with the star coordinates
associated with the Mumta!wlI tradition, 113 and this new treatise by J:labash
provides a further source for the recovery of the original coordinates. Table
3 gives the declination of 21 stars together with the quantity arcS in (Tan.t<.),
and Table 4 features 20 stars with their mediation and right ascensions.
Since Figure 5 reveals star-pointers with the corresponding declinations, we
have presented them in tabular fo rm. We have also listed the names feat ured

11 ~ The MlIlI1ta!W/I star table is preserved in its original form (ecliptic coordinates. declination and mediation of 24 stars for the year 214 H) on f. tnr of the Istanbul manuscript
of l:Iabash's Zij introduced above. and also in the eponym Zfj of Ibn Abi Man~iir. of
which a late recension is extant in MS Es~rial Mabe 927. In this manuscript we find
two versions of the table in two different hands; the table on f. 95r is for the year 2 14 H
and is vinually identical with that presented by l:Iabash. All extant star lists related
to the Original Mwnla[w/I table have been edited and analysed as Part I of an unpublished study by Dorothea Girke (1988), which we have used together with the original
manuscript sources. In our apparatus we use the following siglae: HZ = the version in
the Istanbul manuscript of l:Iabash's Zij; MZ '" that on f. 95r of the Escorial manuscri pt.
The sigla M refers to the Mumta~all table in general, whereas the number following it
corresponds to a continuous numbering of the stars featured in it.

S"""~12(21~II)

140

F. Charette & P. Schmidl

on the star-pointers illustrated in Figure 4. In Table 4 we have recomputed

the right ascension a, which is not featured in the Mumta!lQn table, from the
given values of the mediation p, using the modem form ula and assuming an

obliquity of 23;35 ,114 The data on Figure 5 is badly degenerate, and we

have marked the corrupt digits by underlining them. In the next column we
give the declination from Table 3 and the

Mllmta~alllab l e

for comparision.

114 Wilh e = 23; 33 there arc no changes except for entries 6, 10 and 13, where the errors
become -I, I, - I , respectively, instead of 0 everywhere.

Subo.yl 2 111XH )

Table 1
(b) second column: Tan41

MS

recomp.

orr.

12

12;46, 15
14;37,16

12;45,12
14;57,35

!!
!!

17;12,17

1
i!

20

17;12,18
19;20,42
il;50,17

-1
0

I'

16
18

restor.

(a) first column: arcSin(Tan,)

14;~7.J.6

orr.
3
1

19;22..42

-1

12;45,15

0
12
I'

16
18
20

MS

recomp.
12;16,23
14:26,17
16;40,00 . 16;39,49
18; 18,00
18;57,38
21;20.40 21;20.39
28;49,00 23;49,49
26;26,00
26;26,28
29;14,00 29;11.30

12;14,00
14;26,00

22

24; 14,30

19;29,43
21;50, 18
24;14,30

2.

26; 13,00

26;42,49

!!

26;~3,OO

II"

2'

26
28

29;17,50

29;15,50
31:54,09

1!

29:1~,50

!t

31;~4,O8

0
-1

26
28

32;07.20

32;07, 14

34;38,28

-8
2
1
0

30

35;15.45

35;15,43
38;40,24
42;24,59
46;35,50
51;23,17
57;02,40
64; [2,40
74;56,52

30
32

3.
36

3 1;34,08
34;38,20
37;29,34
40;28,15

43;35,33
46;53,00

38
40

50;20,44

.2

54;01 ,27

44

57;56,29

37;29,32
40;28,14

43;35,33
46;52,38
50;20,46
54;01 ,27
57;56,29

22

32

38;40.25

3'

42;25,00
46;36,00
51;28,18
57;04.45
64;14,40
74;56.45

36

22"

38

-2
0
0

40

42
44

!!

restor.
12;12.00

I!

18;~8,OO

2J.;49,00

!!

29;11.,00

orr.

,
,

1
!!

m.

6
2
1
1

.-

fi
~.
o

!i
i!
!!

.",

"51:2J.,18
57;02,45
64;11.40

1
5
0

-7

These two entries su m to have been rounded to the nearest minute, and this would make them the only such cases in the second
col umns of Tables 1 and 2.

...

Table 2

12
is
IS
21
24

27

30
33

3.
3.
42
4l
48
II

t"
~

MS
05;32,57
07;01,06
08;30.35
10;03,16
11;39,42
13;20,45
15;07,09
17;00,30
19;0]'18
21 :52,36
28;34.55
26; 11,38
29;05,24
32:20,13

recomp.
05;34,03
07;01,06
08;30,38
10;03,16
11;39,42
13;20,45
15;07.20
17:00,35
19;01,48
21;12,37
23;35,02
26;11 ,33
29;05,23
32:20,42

OIT.

restor.

'IT.

66"

0
3
0
0
0
11
l
30
!!
!!

l
1
2'

Il
18
21
24
27
15;07,20

30
33

19;0 I,!8
21;12.36
2,1;34.55b
26;11,31
32;20.43

(a) first column: arcSin(Tan 9 Tan t/ R)

(b) second column: Tan\!, Tant/ R

0
1
7
0
1

3.
3.
42
45
48

06;43,00
08;09.15
09;37,00
11;12,34
12;51,10
14;36,00
16;28,00
18;30,00
20:42.00
23:08.31 1
28:53,00
29: 10,00

6:43.03
8;09.13
9:38,48
11: 12,27
12;51,07
14;35,53
16;28,03
18;29,30
20:42.06
23;08.]6
25;53.06
29;00.05

,
2
!1
7

9;32,00 ?
II: 12.27?"
12;51,Z? t

"

0'
0'

:n

,
,

il

."'"

l
1!

1!

25;53.00
29;00,00 ?

"

a The fact that the original value used by I;fabash was already affected by a significant error is confirmed by the corresponding entry
in the first column: we have indeed arcSin5; 32, 57 = 5; 18,24. and it is straightforward to assume that this was then miscopied as
5;18,14. On the other hand, since Sin5; 18, 14 = 5;32,47. it is also possible that the copyist error be only in the second column,
but then we would have errors of -76 and -10 in the second and first columns, respectively, instead of 66 and O. The original value
of Tan 120 Tane in I;fabash's table might have been 5;33,57 (error-6]. which he could have later misread or miscopied as 5:32.57.
b Emending 23;34,55 to 23;34,50 would explain the entry 23;08.31 ( = arcSin 23;34,50) in Table 2a.
Another, less likely
J The corruption
possibility is that '3 1' is a scribal error for '0' (whose abjad symbol could conceivably corrupt into '31').
of '27' into ')4'
-+ -u) is conceivable.
t
The corruption of '7' into '10' (; -+ o..,?) is conceivable.
J See note a to

if

Table 2b.

83

e;

143

Ta bh' 3

I
2
3

6
6;16 (sic)"
4;57 (sic)r
IUlO (sic)r
13;30

afcSi n(Tan6.)
5;41

CY'

7:20
13;13

_11

17 :3~

1/'

23;3 1
28;39
37;07

46;36

0
0
0
0
0
0
-I
-7
0
0
I
-I
-2
0
0
-2

5
6
7

15

al-simak al.rclmi[,

16

al-Ill/mir lIIi" ll/./akka

17:14
21 ;45
25;34
31 ;05

10

19

"

22
10

ra's al-glllll
al-nilsr al -lI'(ll/i'
aI-rid!

36;00
38; 12
41;02

al-'lly)'iiq
(11-jad/l11/a

43:36

72:13

al-surm I

44;54
-2:37
-4;38

85:08
2:37
4;39
8:29

,
9

12
13
I.

15
I.
17

18
19
20
21

(Jill" al-(/sad

mankib (11-juro.l"

14

[al-simiikl af-awl

al-~lfm

"

rij/ af-jawzjj'
al-shi'rii al-yallluII;ya
qa/b al-'aqrob

24

Jam al-samaka
rijl q(//r.l!iri.~

7
17
21

-8;23

51;54

60;30

-10;16

10;25

-15;48

!6:24i

-2;SIY
-31:301

24;54

-44;05

crr.
[ - 11

6;111

12
6
13
23

"

20

Slur name
mankib lll-jawt/i'
"'-/uHf al-fii';r
a/slli',a al-s!w'iimiyu
al-nalxm'in

50:07
75;33

6;160 is actually the value of Il for the next star in this ta ble (M20).

h Mankjb

1I1.jllwzii ' might have been confused wi th yad 1I1.jawzij' (M9), since 5:4 1 corresponds to

11 = 5:39": the declination of yad a/jaww'given in the Mumla{lantable is indeed 5;40". If

C
TIle Mumlahan table has
5;41 is based on 11 = 5:39", then the error wou ld be -I .
6; 16" for M20 (see preceding entry).
J Error for 11 = 6: 16".
~
Mumla~an
table has 7; 17". The preceding entry in thi s table has 4;57". which could indeed be a scribal
/ Error for 6 = 7;17".
t This corresponds to a declination of
error for 7; 17",
16:52" (there is no star with this value in the MlImla~al! table ).
h Should be \8;4" .
; al-.~(ida 0) MS.
j 6;24" MS.
i The declination of this sta r is not given in
M, but recomputation from the given values of A and J3 yields 6 = _ 22;50". The plate
ill ustrated in Figure 5 (p. 246 of the manuscript) has indeed -22;56"1) MZ has rather
~;50", where the 4 might be a scribal error for a 2.
I M has erroneously 6 = - 13;0"
for thi s star. Recomputation of the declination from the Mtunla!ran values of 1 and J3 yields
-37;26". The Mumta[Jan value must therefore be restored to 37;30". TIle rounded value 38"
is furthermore confirmed in !:Iabash's treatise on the melon astrolabe ( Kennedy. Kunitl.SCh
& Lorch (1999), pp. 88-89, no. 9)

The

S"h>~l J (lI~U )

144

F. Charette & P. Schmidl

Table 4

~ lur

name

"

()' 15;58

14;4 1

4
5

ro's a{'R/llil
al.jadlllllii

1'00:09
1'02;59

28:00

28:02

30;47

30;45

10

n/dabariill
al- 'tJyyiiq

7
8

25

Jlflla)'1

9
10

"

[af-shi'r61 lJ/-yaml;IIiyQ

12

crr.
-I

cc rccomp.

ul.~lrm

I
2

14:42

1$24: 15

51:51

51 ;5 1

1'29;47
1' 15;44"

57;34

43 :/ 114"

2'2(71:40'"

87;24J

57;34
43:14
87;27

2'28;31
Y08;OO
4' 13:05

88;20

88:23

19 1 8:46~

98;43

135;35

135:35

SS20;3ot

1]71];1[81 ~

(Y05;53

11 851;24"

171: 17
185;24

o/-munlr mill a/jalio

6'21:24
7' 13;04

220;36

17

qa/b aJ '(lqmb

7'2 1;44

229: 16

17
18

"
20

al-waqi'
al-,tij'ir

269:36'
282:38 i

22

ai-rid!

8'29;27
9'11;31
9'28:00

300;00'

199;45
220:35
229: 17
269:24
282:32
300:07

19
20

21

jam al' $tJIIUJko

10'24;47/

al-kha~/ib

11'16;00

326;33
347;171'"

327:06
347;08

"
12

13
14
15
I.

13

24
14
15
I.

fiji al-jaww'

[tJishi'ffl J al.slll/'limiya
qa/b ll/asud
rijll/IIllI/iris
a/J'imiili. tllfl'wl
a/-silluik tll'Nillll'~1

199;45

-2
2
0
0
0
-3?
-3
3
0
I
0
0
I
-I
121

.7

71

-33'!
-I

" M has 2'5;44 (the corresponding a would be 63:49).

" 43;54 MS.
c 2'24;4{) MS. The corresponding entry of !;Inbash's MII/ma!um table has been len em pt y
(whilst sulla)'/ is not featured in the MUlllra~/On Zij), I:faoosh's treatise on the melon astrolabe
gives J. = 2'29: 10" _ fj
-75; 10", and l!. = - 5 1~D: J1 is given as 2'29" ;n Table 3 of
the same work bu1 as 2'27;40" in the lext (148r.2,i), emended 10 2'29:40<' by the editors.
Since recomputation o f J1 from those ecliptic coordinates yields 2'29; 41 0 this emendation
is iodeed justified. Nevertheless. the value for the right ascension in the present table is
obviously derived from the incorrect value JJ = 2-'27;40 which is also confirmed twice in
the treatise on the melon astrolabe. The corruption was thus already present in al least one
copy of J:labash's star table when he compiled this treatise and the present work.
J Perhaps scribal error 87;27 0 --t 87;24
--t .u) ?
~ 28;46 MS (l)
f M
has Ii- = 6' 19; 32 (sic) , which would correspond to a = 198;01 . Recomputation from A
and f3 yields 11 6'3;46, which corresponds to a
183;27.
~ 106;13 MS (W -+

cf

...; --t

.y ! and ~

-+

t.. ).

error 269;26 -+ 269;36 (~ -+

(;! -+

t!. ?

.t

106;24" MS (w -+ ...Ai -+ ~ l),

,J) ?

; Perhaps scribal

Perh aps scribal error 282 :33 -+ 282;38"

Perhaps scribal error 300;5 -+ 300;0" ?

JJ is omitted in ~IZ,

and MZ gives the erroneous value 10' 18;24 (which is the A of M22!); J:labash's treatise
on the melon astrolabe (Kennedy, Kuni tzsch & Lorch ( 1999), pp. 8889. no. 9) has rather

5""")'12 (:z..n)

145

f:/abas/i 's Universal Plate

10'27", jlen!.:e we have no po~sibi!ity of co ntrolling this entry against those sources. Perhaps
10'24;47 should be emended to 10"24;17. wh ich would correspond to a = 326;37". Less
likely is the possibility that a = 326;33 be a scribal error for 327; 13" (~_
--+ ~ ~).

:.f...!

347;50" MS (j --+ .j).

T he Slar Names with Declinations 011 Figure 5

Tab. 3
2
3

4
5
7
8
9
10

"
12

13

I.
15

IS!
19
20

21
"
C

Slar name
Outer segment (nonh)
a/-!Ii'ir
1l;i6
al-~'ha'(imi)"iz
1: 17
al-(iabariin
13;30
17; 14
1alb al-lisad
[al-.rimiik al-f"(imi~I]"
~5:37
[al-mullfrmill a/jakka]I'
31;50
36;al-81l1il
al ....(lqi'
18;~2
al-ridf
41:50
13;50! "
al-'ay.wiq
al-khadrb
??;1 1
44;5 1! ~
al-jadhmii
Inner segment (south)
5'38
a/-a'zal
-'
a/-?"At[m
J.;13
5(1):48
[al -slti'rii a/-yamiilliya]K
22:50
qalb al- 'aqrab
fam lIl-illiI
!. P;30
5 1;20"
.mhaytk
44;05
fiji qall.li"iris

6. ( M )

6;16
7; 17
13;30
17;1 4
25;34
31;05
36;00
38; 12
41:02
43:36
52;5 1.1
44;54
4;38
8:23
15:48h
22;50'

37;30 j
5'1;20'"
44;05

h al-qalb ( !) MS.
[al-simak] al-a'7..al MS: the two silluik s have been confused!.
J The
The nun for 50 minutes (.j) might be contaminated by the ,j of al-'ayyjjq.

MS has something like l-.,! This star is not featured in Table 3. bUI 52;51 is the value fro m
the MWflfa!wnlable, which is also confirmed in the trealise on Ihe melon astrolabe.
~ The value in the tex t might be contaminated by the slar-name or by the previous incorrect
entry!
/ Between a/-?"AirllI and this entry there is the caption al-mayl al-janiibi.
I: The text has sha 'limiya (confusion with the other shi'ra!).
h al-shi'rii al-yamalliya
has.o. = _ 15; 48 in Table 3.
i This is the recomputed value (cf. note I in Table 3).
j This star is calledfam al-samaka in Table 3. The treatise on the melon astrolabe has the
k Suhayl
rounded value _38 0 (Kennedy, KunitlSCh & Lorch ( 1999), pp. 8889, no 9).
is not featured in Table 3.
I The minutes are written below Ihe star name.
m The

146

F. C harcue & P. Schmidl

declinat ion of mila)'! is not given in HZ. but the val ue _5 1:200 is attested in I~ abas h 's treatise
on the me lon astrolabe (Kennedy. Kunitzsc h & Lorch (1999), pp. 88-89, no. 2),

The Slar Pointers on Figurc4

Inner plme. CCW from lOp: ra 's al-/:liiil. al-jud/mlil, ai-dahl/rail , al-'ayyiiq. al-slra'iimiya,
qal!> ai-asad. ai-riimib, muni,- u/jak.ka, ai-!ii'ir, al-ridj, a/-klU/(Ji"b.
OUler plale: al-?ulfm.likhjr al -nohr (= Mwmafwn no. I. but not in Tables 3 or 4), suhll)'l.
a/-slti'rii 11I/-.\'(II11(1I1i),aJ, (fijI] qWI!l1ris. qalb aI- '(.Iqrab. qalb a/-dal w (not in Tables 3 or 4 and
not in lhe MUII/Ia(ta /! table).
Stars featured in Tables] and 4 thaI arc missing on Figure 4: a/-S/lrm, mankib al -jl/wziJ ', rijl
af-jM"wii', IIImlkib a/-fams . ill-Wiiqi', al-simiik al-a'zal,fwn al-~I iillaf-.ralllaka.

Commentary

The aim of the following commentary is to present an analysis of the different sections of the text and to present together all infonnat ion about the
construction of J::Iabash's universal plate that can be obtained from it and
from the accompanying tables and illustrations. Specu lations about the way
to use the instru ment are beyond the scope of the present paper.

5. 1

Th e Text

[IJ The ~reati se begins somewhat abruptly by describing in a few sentences the construction of a sine quadrant in the upper-left quadrant AD of
the plate ABGD .IIS The sine markings are traced horizontally, from each
equal divi sion of arc AB until line AE . Cf. our remarks on the illustrations
of Figures 3 and 5 below.
11 5 On the sine quadrant see for example King ( 1995).

Subayl 1 (2001)

ijabash's

Univ~nal

147

Plait

[2.1] The next step consists in representing the position of a given fixed
stars of declination .6. on quadrant AD by a geometrical construction. The
procedure is as follows :
A

Assume circle ABGD, centre E.

On quadrant DG find

DW

=LI~( =

45' ) and DH = LI.

Trace WE; WZ II GE;

HY II DE, with Y on EW;
HT II GE, with T on ED.
Construct YKL II GEA,
with K on ED and L on AD.
Find M on KL so that EM = ET;
extend EM to N on AD.
AN is the desired arc.

,,

Z T\

y
IV

G
There results point N which gives the angular position of the star pointer.

[2.2] Next, a trigonometric fonnula is given as an alternative to the above

procedure:

SinDH CosDW
SinAN = R CosDH SinDW '
Note that since arc DW is chosen by l:labash 10 be 45" , this quantity reduces
to TanA. We can eas il y prove the equivalence of this fonnula with the above
procedure:
EZ = CosA III:u ., WZ =

Si nL\.nkl~

1'H = KY = Si nA, E1' = EM = COSA

KY JEY = ZW JEW

=>

EY = R SinAjSinL\tI\;,x

EK/EY = EZ/EW

=>

EK =

hence

CosAm:l. A

Sin A
S m.6. nklx

R ;;0.=--:-='--

EK
Sin A
= R COSAIII: u s.
EM
II1A",.1x COSA

Sill AN = R -

148

F. Charette & P.

~hm;dl

from which we get the above form ula given by l:Iabash.

Remark: It should be noticed that the above procedure not o nly yields an
angle AEN but a lso a radius EM = R Cosi\.. These in fact COllld represent
the (polar) coordinates of the star-pointer in quadrant AD, although the text
is not at all explicit about it. But this is suggested by the illuslml ioll on
p. 243 of the manuscript.

[2.3] The worked example for the slar Capella (lll- <ayyiiq. a Aur) gives its
ecliptic coordinates as A. = 2"5;5 and f3 = 22;50 N. which agree with the
entries of the Mltmla~JO" star-table. 116 The mediation and declination are
then given in the lext as J1 = 1'29;47 and 6. = 43;36 , values taken from
Table 4, w hich themselves likewise agree w ith the entries in the Mumra!w/J
table. Then various geom etrical objects are associated w ith numerical values, but in the manuscript this Section breaks off after it has been mentioned
that D H 11 and S in A HT = Y K. The last two sentences concern ing the
star-pointers are not clear.

[3.1 ] In this Section a geometrical construction of the half-excess of visibility d(q".6.) of a star is presented with reference to Figure 2. The procedure
can be summarized as fo llows:

116 Cf. oote1l3onp. 139.

Suhayll (20UI)

!:fahtls"'J Universlil Plale

On DC, find GW = f:l

(= 45 0 in this exam ple),

149

andDT ~ ~.

Trace WE; WH II DE. H on EG.

WZ II GE,Zon ED
and OT II EC , 0 on ED.
ET cuts WZ at Y ;
8
construct KYL II ED , Lon DC.
Find M on KY L so thai EM = EH :
extend EM to N on GO.
Construct NS II DE. S on EC.
You obtain ES = Sind(q"f:l)

f---- - EoJ.o---4!4-lD

and DN ~ d(~ ,t,) .

It is worth notici ng that the above procedu re is in fact a variant of the

method described by l:Iabash in 'Problem I' of his treatise on the melo n
astro labe. 1l1 The only d ifference is that instead of fi nding M on KYL, one
ralher finds S o n EG. so that ES = EA, where A is the intersection of EW
and K L (A corresponds to L in the related diagram of the treatise o n the
melon astrolabe). It is not difficult to show the equ ivalence of both procedures. The first half of the construction - identical in both sources - can be
explained by m eans o f a n ' analem ma' construction. IIB

[3.2]

The above is the n expressed as a trigonometric fo n n ula as fo llows:

SinON = Sinf:l Sinq, _ R_

Cos q,

Cos f:l

which corresponds 10 the modem fonnula for the half-excess:

tan q, lanf:l.

117 Kennedy. Kunitzsch & Lorch (1999). pp. 20-27 and pp. 94--97.

liS For more details see ibid.. pp. 94-%.

S"iuyI2{2Illl l

sind =

150

F. ChilreHC & P. S(';hmidl

We can demonslrJ.le the equ ivalence of Ihis formula with the construcli on in [3. 1] as fo llows:
H = Cos.6.,EZ = Sin6

OT = Si n cp ,EO = Cosq,
EZ / ZY = EO/ aT
EK = ZY and EM = EH
EK / EM = ES/ EN
Z
Si n.1. Sinq,
Y = --;C"""o-'s~:;-'ES = R Z Y = R 5111 6 Sin q,
EH
Cos.1. Cosq,
L3.3] The worked example chosen to illustrate thi s assu mes Dr = 34".
which is the latitude of Samarra (see p. 110 abov~) . and its complement
GT = 56. We have
OT = Sin 34 = 33;33,6

.nd

DE = $i056 = 49;44,30, 30.

Both values are taken from J:labash's Si ne table, itself directly derived from
Ptolemy 's Chord table. I 19 We also have a declination of GW = DW = 45 ,
and WZ = EZ = $ in 45. Furthennore we find EM = EH = $i045" =
42;25 , 35~ and
E K = YZ =

TOEZ
Sin 34 Sin 45
83
=
=2;7 ,
DE
$i056

so thaI
ES =

R EK
60 28;37
EM = 42;25 ,35 = 40;28,10,

and DN = ,,,,Sin (40;28, 10) = 42;25.

119 l;Iabash's Sine table is preserved in MS Istanbul Yen; Cami 78412, f. t27v. Entries
are given to four places for each 0; 15 of argument; the last digit is either 0 or 30, a
consequence of the division of Ptolemy's Chords by 2. 1be use of J:(abash's Sine table
is suggested by the fact that his entry for Sin56 noticeably differs from the exact value
49;44,32,7, and also from the resu lt that other early Islamic Sine tables would yield.

f:/abosh's Uni\'ersal Plate

151

[4) Two scales of the Si ne of the half-excess of daylight are marked along
the radii EG and ED of the plate. The first along G is based on Table I and
gives the half-excess for each 2 of terrestrial latitude from 12 to 44 and
for the assu med maximal declination of a star 45. The second one gives
the same quantity for the sun at summer solsti ce. for each 3 of latitude
from 12 to 5 1". These quantities related to timekeeping by the sun are also
needed for timekeeping by the stars, since at night one is basically interested
to find the time elapsed since su nset. not the time since a particular fixed star
has risen or culminated.

(5] A right ascension scale around the outer belt on the back of the plate
allows to find the right ascension from the longitude, or vice-versa. J:labash
gives the values of a{A) for each 6 of A upto 30. and then for 60 and 90 ,
as follow s: a(6) = 5;30, a(12) = II; I, a(18) = 16;35, a(24) = 22; 12,

a(30) = 27;53, a(6O) = 57; [4]7 [57;37 MSj and a(90) = 90. These
are the accurate va lues of the right ascension,120 assuming the obliquity
= 23;35" .121 The scales on all other three quadrants are constructed symmetricall y to that on quadrant AB.
(9] 122 Inside of this zod iacal sca le is a second ring di vided into 360 parts
representing the equator. Betwccn it and the zodiacal scales there are starpointers which point at the va lue of the mediation of various fi xed stars.
These e lements can be easily recognized in Figure 4. A second plate of

L20 The same val ues of the right ascension ror the same series of arguments are also given
in the trelltise on the melon astrolabe. with the exception Ihatthere a( I g) has been corrupted through S4:ribal error into 11:35 ( 0:..... -+ ~). but not emended in Lhe publlshed
edition. Moreover, on p. 67. line 2 of Lhe tran~ lat ion in Kennedy. Kunitzsch & Lorch
( 199(. one should read '5!o, instead of '5' for a(6).
LlL Cf. our discussion on p. 112 above.
122 Logically this Section should oceur between IS] and [61, because the text begins by
referring to this belt" which can only be the zodiacal belt mentioned in (5]. Secondly.
Ihe information aboull he smaller plate which i~ introduced in this Section is necessary
for the understanding of Section 161. where the smaller plate appears without having
been properly irurodueed.

152

F. Charette & P. Schmidl

diameter ca. two thirds of the diameter of the larger plate is also mounted
on the back. It has a sirnilar scale along its rim which is also divided into 360
parts. Two rectangular portions of thi s smaller plate are pierced along Ihe
vert ical diameter. leavi ng just the central region. These rectangular regions
are clearly sketched in Figure 4, where we noti ce that the lower extremity of
upper o ne has a triangular shape. Some movable cursor has also to be fitted
within the sloned rule which goes along the vertical d iameter of the larger
plate, and which is provided with a tabular scale.
[6] The centre of the smaller plate can be free ly moved within the slotted
nile described in [9}, which runs along the vCltical diameter AG. The centre
of this smaller plate has to be set so that its c ircumference will be divided
by the horizontal diameter into two arcs, in such a fashi on that the upper arc
represents the daylight of the terrestrial latitude at winter solstice, and the
lower arc, the daylight at summer solstice. There appears to be a latitude
scale along the lower radius to allow for an easy setting of the small plate
according to a given latitude. The last portion of this Section concerns a
movable cursor, but the text appears to be seriously corrupt.
(7} This Section presents a description of the alidade that is illustrated
in Figure 6, and wh ich has to be mounted on the face of the plate. Both
sides of the alidade bear two facing scales, one of them divided into 90
equal parts, the other one into 60 unequal parts defined according to the
corresponding values of the Sines. The central part of the alidade is pierced
out, presumably in order to see the scales that have been traced along two
radii of the plate. At the side of this pierced rectangle is a slot in which a
cursor can be moved between the centre and the extremity of the aJidade,
for marking distances from the centre. From Figure 6 we can deduce that
the graduations on the alidade begin at the centre.
[8] Here the text describes some kind of locking cursor with catch and
latch which has to be fixed to the vertical slotted rule on the back. Its length
must be such that when the smaller plate is concentric with the larger one
and their respective diameters are superposed, the locking device will touch

Ij{lbash's Universal PI{jfe

153

the outer side of the smaller plate. The text suggests a possible length of
ClI. one sixth of the diameter of the larger plate. A likely interpretation is
that this cursor serves to lock the respective position of the two plates once
they have been set for a particular latitude. The sentences that fo llow seem
to describe the manner of inserting the smaller plate and a tabular scale into
the slotted rule along the vertical diameter, so that the locking cursor will
take up its place on the back. The last sentences seem to repeat in a different
fa shion the information that has been already given in [6], on the way to
set the small plate relative to the other one so that the distance between their
centres will represent a quantity corresponding to the half-excess of daylight
at summer solstice. Given the less obscure instructions in [6] , we find that
thi s di stance between the centres has to be rsind( 41, ), where r is the radius
of the smaller plate.
5.2

The illllstraJiolJs

Given the defective state of the tex t, it is fortunate that our manuscript
presents excellent illustrations. The copyisllbr.ihim al-'Uman drew the figures with care, using black and red ink. In view of the contradictory information di splayed on Figures 3 and 5. it seems that the illustrations in his
manuscript source were at least as defective as the text. We can be grateful
that he did his best 10 careFully reproduce them. We now present a detailed
description of Figures 3 and 5.
I. The altitude quadrant (labelled in Figure 3 rub' lIl-irtifli1 displayed
in the upper left agrees very well with the instructions in Section [1].
O n Figu re 3 the label ling of the lines corresponding each 5 of altitude
along radius EA has been traced in a rectangle overlapping the upper
right quadmnl. I21 TIli s is probably a mistake, not repeated in Figure
5 where these labels are written on the left -hand side of line AE .
2. The quadrant of the azimuth in the lower left (labelled rub'lIl-sll111t
on both illustrations) is another sine quadrant with vertical instead of
12,\ Note that the lellcring A, 8 , G,D, in Figure 3 is consistent wi th that in Figure I. Figure
5 is not leltered but we shall refer to it by using those same five letters.

S.""yl l (1U11)

154

F. Chareue & P. Schmidl

horizontal lines. On Figure 3 the outer scale is labelled at each J0 0

from G to B, and the same labels arc repeated along the radius EB. O n
Figure 5. however, the outer scale BG is graduated clockwise from 0
10 90 at each 5, whereas the labels along the horizontal radius run
from E to B as in Fi gure 3.
3. A 'quadrant of declination' (labelled mb' al-mayl in Figure 3) is d isplayed in both fi gures in the lower right, together with a scale along
the rim . On Figure 5 it is labelled rub' al-mayl wa-huwa rub' ta'dfl
al-flahiir, 'quadrant of the declination, which is the quadrant of the
equation of [half?] daylight'). It features a sine quadrant similar to
that on the altitude quadrant; it is graduated along arc CD for each SO,
but the labels along the vertical radius EG run in the opposite direc*
tion, as on the quadrant 01 the azimuth described above. On Figure 3
they are only labelled along the vertical radius for each 10
0

The scale along the rim serves to fi nd the declination from the solar
longitude. Its representation in Figure 3 is quite con fu sing: the outer
scale is numbered from D to G at each 50, and the inner band is only
numbered in the fi rst 300 *portion, starting at D , at each 60 It is curi*
ous ly labelled al-mayl / al-ma!dli' (' the declination I the ascension'),
but does this perhaps rather belong to the upper right quadrant? On
Figure 5 the outer ring is numbered for each 6 of longitude, aJso from
D to G; and the inner ring is numbered with the corresponding value
of the dec lination in degrees and minutes. The maximal vaJue of 0,
corresponding to the obliquity, e, surprisingly turns out to be 23;33 0 ,
which is inconsistent with the values for the right ascension given in
the text, which are based on = 23;35 0 !1 24 The values of the declination are reproduced in the table below. Errors against recomputed
values are indicated between square brackets; these can be explained
either by scribal mistakes in the manuscript tradition of our treatise,
or by scribal mistakes in the seconds in the a riginaJ declination table used by J:labash, which would have affected his rounding to the

1204 See our remark on p. 112, nole 4 above.

5 ..... y11 (20111)

155

nearest minute.

>

"

12

4;46

18

7;5
9:21
11;31

24
30

>

0(
2;24

36

.,

42
48
54
60

0(
1335
15:30
17;16
18:[5J2'
20; 15

>
66
72
78
84
90

0(
21:20
22; 19

.,4

23;0
23;25
23:33

18:12 MS

4. The scale of Tan if' which is sketched in Figures 2 and 3 along radius
EG is lacking in Figure 5. The scale of Tanq, TanejR. however, is
correctly represented in Figure 5 just above line ED. but its numbering
is defective (it has the irregular series 12. 15, 18. 24, 30, 36, 42, 48,
59!). On Figure 3 it is not drawn (0 scale: the mark for latitude 44
should have a distance of ca. 25 parts of the sexagesi mal radius from
the centre, whilst it is drawn near the outer rim on thi s Figure.

5. The scales reminiscent of the 'shadow square' (on the back of astrolabes) displayed in Figure 5, whose lower base coincides with the

scale above, are qui te mysterious. They are labelled ai-'a r{1 /i- ta 'dfl
ai-shams ('the latitude for the equation of the sun '), but the last two
words should probably be read ta'dfl ai-saml, ' the equation of the azimuth ', an auxiliary quantity used by Muslim astronomers in azimuth
calculations. l25 The construction and purpose of the scale represented
on the upper edge of the 'square' is not clear at all. It should be
noticed that the height of the rectangle on the illustration measures
Sin 20 ~ 20.5, but this is probably not confonn to the original design
of the instrument.
6. Three star-pointers are represented in Figure 3 in the upper right quadrant for the stars qalb al-asad, suhayl and munfr al-a'z.al. Their respective angular distance from point A, measured on the illustration,

12.5 See King, SATMI, 1-1.2 and 1-8.

156

F. Charelle & P. Schmidl

are approximately 25, 42" and 55. These do not correspond with
what can be obtained from the formula arcSin(Tan6) given in [2}.
The presence of suhayf on this figure as well as in Figure 5 contradicts l:Iabash's infonnalion in [2] that the maximal declination of the
stars represented is 45, for the declination of suhayl is 51 ;20" south
(see Table on p. 145 above, where we also encounter al-k"a~tib with
[reconstructed] declination 52;5 1"). The position of the star names
with their accompanying declinations on the same quadrant in Figure
5 is unrelated to the position of their respective pointers . The information is displayed there in a tabular fashion, and we have reproduced it
on p. 145.

Figure 4 corresponds rather well with the textual infonnation of the back
in Sections [5], [9] and [6], and has been treated above in our commentary
on the text. We have listed the star-pointers featured on this illustration
on p. 146. On the smaller plate only the names of the stars are written,
and their pointers have not been drawn. Also featured on this figure is the
second aJidade, which has to be mounted on the back of the instrument; on
the illustration it does not bear any graduation.

5.3

The tables and their purpose

We now tum to the tables which we have edited and analysed in Section 4
above. Tables I and 2 c learly serve to construct the scales described in Sections [2] and [3] of the text. The second colu mn of Table 3 readily gives the
angular position of the star-pointers in the upper right quadrant of the front.
Apparently, the declination of each star has to be written near its pointer
(as suggested by Figure 5), which would explain why this infonnation is
given in the first column of Table 4, as well as in Figure 5. The star coordinates (mediation and right ascension) in both columns of Table 4, on the
other hand, serve for constructing the star-pointers on the larger and smaller
plates on the back, respectively, according to the instructions in Sections [5]
and [9] of the text.
S""'~1 2

(201)) )

157

Conclusion

l:labash's universal plate is a complex instrument which features on the front

three si ne quadmnts, special star-pointers in a fourth quadrant, and ~ome
trigonometric scales. The quantities provided by these vari ous markings
can be transferred by means of the alidade with cursor and scales. The discs
on the back o f the instrument provide the user with relevant coordinates of
some fixed stars in relation to the ecliptic and the local hori zon. The exact
procedure intended by l:labash for using this instrument, however, sti ll needs
to be reconstructed.
The purpose of our endeavour was Lo make I~abas h' s description of this
unusual device, extant in a unique manuscript, avai lable for the first time,
together with a commentary on the text and the accompanying tables and illustrations. We repeat the hope expressed in the introduction that colleagues
will be able to help us in the further elucidation of the use of thi s fascinating
instrument from mid-9th-century Abbasid.cullure.

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158

F. C h~rette & P. S(;hmidl

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