Astrolabes, iPhones and Fakery

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Tom with the genuine article, an astrolabe made by Abd al A’imma. Inv. 48701

Tom, from the Museum’s Young Producers group, talks about astrolabes and the craftsman Abd al A’imma.  

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It is easy to forget the past.

This is perhaps most true of technology. We have no reason to think about it, but every day we do something utterly radical. We reach for a smartphone, and we’ve harnessed the power to combine communication with unbounded access to knowledge.

Our devices do lots besides connecting us. On mine I have one of several free apps that lets me point it at the sky and find the names and positions of whatever stars and planets I’m facing. If you install something similar, in seconds you’ll have in your pocket a tool far better than anything owned by your stargazing predecessors in Persia.

The Age of the Astrolabe

With such information so easily to hand, one could be forgiven for forgetting about the age before computers: the age of the astrolabe. In fact, there’s already a superb article about the parallels between these two handheld devices [1].

One need only look at any of the astrolabes here at the Museum to know that their value extends far beyond their function. The finery and creativity of their decoration says more than words could about the astrolabes’ other purpose: status symbols.

The rete of an 18th century astrolabe made by Abd al A’imma. Inv. 48701

A modern analogy could be an expensive wristwatch. It seems the basic idea is the same today as it was in eighteenth-century Isfahan, even though they didn’t actually have wristwatches.

Everyone needs to tell the time, but if you have the means, you may be tempted to tell it with something flashy. In Persia (and in Europe amid the Scientific Revolution) people also needed to predict sunsets and sunrises, chart the stars, and measure latitude. An astrolabe could do it all and more.

Despite newer and better instruments, its versatility and portability maintained it as the must-have motif for an era when science was in vogue.

Naturally some astrolabes were nicer than others. The ultimate state of the art was around 1720, just before the fall of the Persian Safavid dynasty, and it involved a craftsman named Abd al A’imma. His skill as one of history’s finest astrolabe-makers is evident in his work held at the Museum. Other museums have pieces bearing his name, and some of them are wonderful for quite a different reason: they’re fake.

The umm of an astrolabe, engraved with a gazetteer. Inv. 48701

Fakery and Brand Names

Their existence confirms al A’imma’s prowess not just as a craftsman, but as a brand name. They reveal themselves in much the same way as would a fake Rolex or a knockoff Gucci bag. The details are off; the fit and finish aren’t up to standard – there are even misspelled engravings, an artefact of the Persian forgers’ poor grasp of Arabic [2].

Perhaps we should take a cynical view of all this. Materialism and fakery are as old as can be. Amazing technologies are doomed to start out as an art practised by experts, then become an exclusive pursuit, then end up as a commodity. Even precise timekeeping, once the domain of astronomers, has long become a forgettable feature of our ubiquitous smartphones.

We can think better. Why might something be imitated? The obvious answer is that it has a value deeper than the sum of its materials. And when that value is associated with something so scientific, so insightful, so ingenious as an astrolabe, surely we owe our respect to the culture that made it worth faking. The Abd al A’imma forgeries, by existing, demonstrate a reverence for science, and a desire to practise it.

Astrolabe plate by by Abd al-A’imma marked as a tablet of horizons. Inv. 48701

Does the same desire exist today? Our answers depend on individual belief, yet many of our most pressing global issues depend desperately on a collective belief that scientists and experts must be listened to, and trusted. Maybe this culture existed more in 1720 than it did today, which would mean the advancement of time does not guarantee the advancement of thinking.

So when we take a moment to consider the phoney astrolabe, the fake Rolex, or the 5G Samsung, we remember the history of science that connects them – science which, just like them, exists for a reason.

[1] Jane Louise Kandur, Astrolabe: the 13th Century iPhone, Daily Sabah, 2015.

[2] Gingerich, King, and Saliba, The Abd al A’imma Astrolabe Forgeries, Journal for the History of Astronomy, vol 3, pp. 188-198, 1972.

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Tom Franklyn Gammage is a science writer for the upcoming film ‘My Flatmates and Me’, a documentary about modern “flat-earth” belief. He also writes for Macat International to promote the teaching of critical thinking in schools. He has been involved with the Young Producers group since May 2017.

CAUTION: Cleaning in Progress

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A Wooly Bear or Carpet Beetle Larvae casing, up close

This blog post by Rowena Hartley from the Museum’s Move Project Team looks at the cleaning processes involved when moving museum collections. 

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Unlike the majority of people the favoured habitat for museum objects are large windowless rooms with regular, slightly chilly, temperatures and very little excitement. Here at MHS our collection is no different and, much like the attics, cellars and under-the-bed stores we all use at home, they come with their very own brand of excitement often involving a fair amount of dust and some multi-legged creatures along the way. So as part of our work for the Move Project we are ensuring that every object is in peak condition, clean and pest free for the journey to its new store.

The Move Project Team cleaning an object before it is photographed.

After just a few years in a museum store, or attic or cellar for that matter, even the best protected items develop thin layers of dust from the building and the objects around them. As unsightly as this is, it also poses a much greater threat. Dust, when left, can become adhered to the object causing the surface to dull and over time encourage mould and corrosion to develop. Dust can even attract bugs and pests who feed on the dust particles and then upon the objects themselves. Sometimes the pests are brought into the store in the objects themselves, it only takes one or two unseen eggs for an infestation to begin.  Here the chilly environment helps to slow down or even dispatch any bugs who’ve decided to join us. Whilst this doesn’t make for the cosiest working environment it helps to protect the objects from any creatures feasting on them. One common culprit we have found is the wooly bear which likes to feed on the fabric and leather in our microscope cases. The cold appears to have successfully chased many away, as only the casings are left. The permanent damage which dust and pests pose to these objects is why we take the time to remove these threats, but in doing so we have to ensure we don’t do more harm than good.

Most objects we work with only require a dry clean, this is where we use products such as dust-cloths, brushes, museum vacuums and latex sponges to gently lift dust from the surface of the object. This may sounds fairly harmless but many of the objects are well over a hundred years old and incredibly fragile, so we have to take great care to be gentle and remove only the dust; sometimes it can look like we haven’t cleaned the object at all but we have removed as much of that dust as we safely can. We even have to be careful with the products we do use, making sure they are made from conservation friendly materials and even washed in specialist washing up liquid to make sure we’re not responsible for adding any harmful materials. Even the vacuum cleaner is variable so that on fragile objects, such as textiles, we can put it on the lowest setting and not risk lifting any loose threads up from the surface. However there are times when we have to balance the non-invasive approach with ensuring the object is in a safe and stable condition, this is where we tend to get more aggressive with our cleaning methods.

Aggressive cleaning is perhaps a little misleading, but like most people’s spring clean it involves washing up liquid, insecticide and alcohol, only we maybe don’t get to enjoy the last one as much as we’d like. These products may sounds fairly run of the mill but as all of them include some strong chemicals we have to use them sparingly as even just introducing water to an object can risk the material expanding and cracking. There have been a few occasions so far in the move where an object has needed this bit of extra cleaning, despite the risks it may pose.

The damage caused by moths to the base of the induction coil case.

Infestations are one of these occasions as pests can cause a large amount of damage by eating away at objects, so they have to be treated immediately and quite harshly. We have faced two notable infestations, one was a family of moths which had taken to living in the case for two induction coils (pictured above, Inv.11697), and once the case was opened they decided to make their presence known. The other infestation was a little more subtle, it was only a few small holes and the tell tale trails of fresh sawdust which hinted at the woodworm hiding in a series of geometric woodblocks (Inv.11532). Both of these infestations had to be dealt with in the same way with the objects being treating with a water-based insecticide called Constrain, which with its neutral pH, avoids the use of any especially harsh chemicals.

Woodblock cleaning in progress.

To treat the infestation separate work stations were setup to avoid any risk to other objects from the pests or from the insecticide. The objects were sprayed with Constrain and isolated so the spray could take effect, the woodblocks were stored in sealed plastic boxes but the case was too large and had to be wrapped in tissue then plastic so as to seal in the insects and the insecticide. After a few days the objects could be safely unwrapped with the infestation gone; the woodblocks were ready to be audited and packed but the case had to have a final clean to remove the frass and the moth carcasses which remained. Both are now clean, photographed and packed ready for the new store without any risk of further pest damage or of spreading their infestations to other objects.

However, pests are not the only threat as accumulated dust and mould can become irreparably attached to an object and obscure what is there. Whilst this is the practical reason for cleaning, it is also immensely satisfying seeing how much better it can look after a bit of care and attention. The mirrored display case below had a layer of dust and patches of mould staining the glass front, as well as the mirror at the back. Now this is where the alcohol gets involved! A cotton wool ball damp with alcohol was used to wipe away any traces of mould; this treatment alongside good air circulation in the new store should stop any spores from spreading and growing back. The alcohol was then wiped away with water so that there was no alcohol or mould residue left and then given a final wipe with a dust cloth. As you can see all of this took quite a few pieces of cotton wool to make it thoroughly clean, but the difference is an object which is in a good stable condition; this is why we clean every object, to keep it safe and stable for the next hundred years.

And the mirrored case after cleaning

The mirrored case before cleaning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have quite a few more objects to clean so if you’re interested in seeing this or some of our other work we will continue to post about the MHS Move Project on Inside MHS. You can also find us on Instagram and Twitter using #mhsmoveteam and #mhsstores.

Fun and Games with Medieval Medicine

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What do you get if you mix quince, vinegar, water and honey? According to the medieval pharmacist al-Kuhin al-‘Attar, who worked in Cairo, Egypt, during the 13th century, an excellent cure for your flatulence!**

This, along with mixtures containing ingredients such as asses’ milk to Dragon’s Blood, is just one of the many weird and wonderful medical recipes that you might discover if you join us for one of our Board Games and Medieval Medicines events.

The games that we are playing are brand new and have been designed and developed as part of a public engagement project that the Museum has been working on in association with academic research in the history of medicine at the Institute for Oriental Studies, University of Oxford, funded by The Wellcome Trust. All the new games, which now include a card game, tile game, dice game and jigsaw have been inspired by the fascinating history of medicine and surgery being used in the medieval Islamic world and how this knowledge was recorded and communicated.

Over the past year we’ve been asking visitors to help us playtest our games at events in the Museum each month. This has definitely brought out the competitive side in some, with tensions running high as families compete to become a master scholar or superior pharmacist. Luckily only a few tears have been shed, and we think everyone’s left on friendly terms!

Most importantly, these Sunday playtesting sessions have been slightly different to our usual family events. We’ve been listening carefully to the feedback and observing any stumbling points in the game mechanics. As a result, over the course of 12 months we’ve been making adaptations to the game rules and design to incorporate the feedback received from our game testers. This has been a really important part of the process of developing the games and we’ve loved hearing everyone’s suggestions.

We’ll be holding our final Sunday playtesting session on Sunday 24th September from 2pm to 4pm.

The games will also be available to play at our House of Wisdom family event on Saturday 14th October along with a whole host of family friendly activities inspired by our collections from the Islamic World.

**Disclaimer: all recipes mentioned in this post are historical, we don’t recommend that you try them at home!