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Functionality And Esthetics
Combined In Clocks
One of the works worthy of
note in the “Clocks” section,
is the reconstruction of the
clock that is now situated
in the Karaviyyin Mosque
in Morocco. The clock,
which shows the time in
such accuracy enough to
gauge seconds, attracts
attention as well due to
its esthetic image. At first sight, a wooden chamber and a
wooden shape strikes the eye. All the wooden components
of the clock were specially manufactured in Morrocco including
the polishing and paint work. 46 centimeters wide, the
clock face is made up of brass and the ring is made up of
bronze. The clock is 2 meters high and 4 meters wide while
all the bowls within the clock are made up of copper.
Another showcase item which combines scentific novelty
with esthetics is the elephant water clock designed by El-
Cezeri, a scientist from Diyarbakır. The actively working
clock has been reconstructed according to information
gathered from old calligraphy drafts
found in the Topkapı Palace library. The
various items found on El-Cezeri’s elephant
water clock, represent different
civilizations. Another salient piece
in the museum is the “cup clock”
which is also designed by El-Cezeri.
He tells in his book named “El-Cami
beyn el-ilm ve l-amel”, that he designed
this clock as a result of his own invention
upon the will of sultan es-Salih Ebu el-Feth
Mahmud bin Muhammed bin Karaarslan.
Talking about clocks it would be proper to mention
“Ridvan es-saati’s water clock. Engraved from hard
wood and bearing pearl ornaments, this
clock catches the eye right away. In the
info. note, it says that this clock By
es-Saati was designed according
to unequal hours and temporal
hours priciples.
The cup clock, designed by the
famous astronome Ali b. Abdarrahman
b. Ahmed ibn Yunis who
executed his scientific studies in
Egypt and named “Sureyya” is
another item worth seeing in
the museum. In this clock, 1
bulb turns off for each hour
elapsed at night. The first
bulb contains gasoil to
burn for as much as 1
hour, while the 12th
bulb has enough to
burn for 12 hours. If
bulbs are burned at the
same time, their numbers
are read they burn
out. According to Ibni Yunis the twelveth bulb has 36 dirhams
of gasoil for the longest day of the year while for the
shortest day the required amount of gasoline is 24 dirhams.
Thus the bulbs show unequal hours.
The Mechanic "LUNAR AND SOLAR CALENDAR" by El-Biruni (died 1048)
It’s Worth Seeing The Astrology Section
The astrology section is one of the most popular parts of
the The Islam Science and Tecnology Museum. The celestial
globes, observatories, observatory tools, the solsticial ring, astrolabes
ans so forth… While our knowledge store is growing,
we wonder that there is no need for the Islamic world to
feel any inferiority against the West in the face
of these scientific accomplishments by the
muslim scientists.
The model of the astronomical tool built by Cabir b. Eflah (12th century)
named TORQUETUM – also known as the Turkish tool – by the Europeans.
The information plates adjacent to
each artifact grows our knowledge
further. For instance we learn that
the first observatories recognized
by the history of astronom are named
after Caliph Memun. His deep interest
in astronomy and its progress in his own
state motivated him to establish two observatories,;
one in Damascus and the other in Baghdad,
both built on top of hills. Memun aimed to reach
more precise measurements of celestial distances
through more developed instruments and
endless observation. Caliph Memun
therefore is the first person to
found an observatory in the history
of astronomy. At one time,
the 3 greatest observatories in
the world existed in Meraga,
Semerkand and Istanbul; all governed
by muslim states and these
observatories made very delicate
calculations based on their
observations.
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