Celestial globe, Iran, dated AH 684 (AD 1285-6). SCI0021. The Khalili collections © 2011 Khalili Family Trust

making this the sixth earliest surviving globe; diameter: 13.4cm. Celestial globe, engraved with a full set of constellation figures and the position of some 1024 stars, made by Muhammad ibn Mahmud al-Tabari. The globe is cast in two halves, and the star positions marked in silver inlay. A 5-line signature, situated near the south pole of the instrument states, somewhat inaccurately, that it was based on the illustrations in the 10th century astronomer, al-Sufi’s Book of the Fixed Stars (Kitab suwar al-kawakib al-thabitah) adapted to take account of the 200-year lapse of time and rectifying errors of placement and spelling and that the maker had written the identifications of the various constellations of the Zodiac, fixed stars, lunar mansions, and of some non-Zodiacal constellations as well.