Fakhri Quadrant:
The Samarkand Observatory contained various tools to assist with measuring the position of the stars, most notably the Fakhri Quadrant. The Samarkand Observatory was drum shaped and measured 160 feet in width and 120 feet in height. [1]There was a large arc that divided the observatory in half which was inscribed with degrees so that astronomers could measure the position of the stars via aligning a sighting device to the star. After aligning the device to the star, the astronomers would record its position relative to the degrees inscribed along the Fakhri Quadrant. The observatory’s larger size (compared to earlier observatories) allowed for measurements along the quadrant to be much more accurate than previous observatories were capable of. The size was a contributing factor to the improvements in measurements in Ulugh Beg’s Zij-i-Sultani over the previous measurements in Ptolemy’s Almagest [1]
Context:
The Observatory in Samarkand was the result of many contributing factors given the economic and political situation in Samarkand during the time of its creation and existence. Timur’s efforts to increase the size of Samarkand pushed the city forward to be a premier spot for economic interests, and trade in Samarkand grew with the size of the city. As the city grew, Timur gave great effort to increase the prestige of the city and cared much about architecture, size, and designs of buildings. Additionally, Ulugh Beg led scientific advancements in the City’s madrasa and Observatory.
In 1370, Timur took control of Samarkand and began his efforts to increase the size, influence and prestige of the city. He populated the city with a diverse collection of people. He brought artisans and craftsmen into the city in an effort to increase the prestige of Samarkand. Timur’s focus on boosting market operations in the city and transformed Samarkand into a hub of trade for its area, with goods being stored in Samarkand before being shuffled off to other areas. Due to the collection of talented artisans, Samarkand also grew to be a notable area for manufacturing as well. [2]
Timur additionally cared much for art and the appearance of architecture. His architecture was known for its size and decorative design, and often the size of his visions challenged the ability of his architects. Islamic architecture often utilized inscriptions that were placed directly on buildings that were associated with the building’s meaning or purpose. Overall, artistic design mattered much to Timur [3]
In accordance with Timur’s appreciation of grand structures, the Samarkand Observatory was at the time the largest observatory in existence. It was the first observatory to utilize astronomical equipment that was integrated directly into the architecture of the structure. Written above the entrance to the observatory were the words, “Religions disperse, kingdoms fall apart, but works of science remain for all ages” [1].
The Timurds felt their duty was, in part, to contribute to science [4]
Timur gave an effort to advance scientific and intellectual fronts, moving total libraries to Samarkand.[2] His grandson, Ulugh beg, created a Madrasa in Rigestan Square where academics moved to study. The Samarkand Observatory was created to further improve the Madrasa [1]. In a larger context, the Madrasa at Samarkand went on to influence the creation of madrasas in the Shaibanid Dynasty [2]
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- ^ a b c d Cavin, Jerry D. (2012). The Amateur Astronomer's Guide to the Deep-Sky Catalogs. Springer New York. ISBN 978-1-4614-0656-3. OCLC 1110761313.
- ^ a b c "Samarqand as the First City in the World Under Timur". Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. 56: 857–865 – via JSTOR.
- ^ "The Heavenly City of Samarkand". The Winston Quarterly. 16, No. 3: 33–38 – via JSTOR.
- ^ Somsen, Geert; Werner, Jeroen (2013-12-31), "Chapter Sixteen. How to Succeed in Art and Science: The Observatory Observed", Contemporary Culture, Amsterdam University Press, pp. 214–224, ISBN 978-90-485-1795-4, retrieved 2019-11-24