Method & Theory in the Study of Religion

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The Astrolabe

An ancient instrument for solving problems of location and distance, as well as time

Astrolábon órganon is the word used in Ptolemaeus Syntaxis 5.1 to describe a form of armillary sphere consisting of both fixed and rotating rings for determining the ecliptic co-ordinates of stars. Also called astrolabe were two-dimensional representations of the celestial sphere: over fixed disks with a representation of the horizon of the earth (in each case for a specific geographic latitude) and its parallels up to the zenith lies a rotating representation of the heavens (called ‘spider’ or ‘net’) with zodiac and indicators for some of the brightest stars. On the back is an indicator (‘alidade’) with visor plates for calculating the height of the stars. The astrolabe allows its user to determine the hours of day and night, the positions of stars, and the height and depth of objects on earth (mountains, buildings, wells). The oldest extant descriptions of the flat, planispheric astrolabe come from Iohannes Philoponus, 6th century AD, and (in Syrian) from Severus Sebokht, c. 660 AD. Indirect references may date back as early as Theon (4th cent.). Between the 8th and the 9th centuries the Arabs appropriated the knowledge of the astrolabe. At the end of the 10th century and again in the 12th century, they passed it on to Western Europe, where astrolabes were constructed up until the 17th cent. Today, one Byzantine astrolabe (from 1062) is extant, as are some 750 Arabic-Islamic astrolabes and approximately the same number of European astrolabes.

This information is abstracted from Brill's New Pauly, the English edition of the authoritative Der Neue Pauly, Encyclopaedia of the Ancient World. The encyclopaedic coverage and high academic standard of the work, the interdisciplinary and contemporary approach and clear and accessible presentation have made the New Pauly the unrivalled modern reference work for the ancient world. For more information see www.brillsnewpauly.com or visit our website catalog: www.brill.nl/bnp
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Publications & Services> Books> Book Series> Method & Theory in the Study of Religion

Method & Theory in the Study of Religion

Journal of the North American Association for the Study of Religion

Edited by Matthew Day, (Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA)

Journals


ISSN:	0943-3058
E-ISSN:	1570-0682

Current:	Volume 21 (2009)
Number of Issues:	4
List price Individuals:	€ 71.00 / US$ 104.00
List price Institutions:	€ 206.00 / US$ 298.00
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Editorial Board

Founding editors: John Morgan Ann Baranowski Editor: Matthew Day, Florida State University Editorial Board: Gregory Alles, Western Maryland College Lorne Dawson, University of Waterloo Iva Doleźalová, Masaryk University, Czech Republic Armin Geertz, Aarhus University, Denmark E. Thomas Lawson, University of Western Michigan Gary Lease, University of California, Santa Cruz Luther Martin, University of Vermont Tomoko Masuzawa, University of Michigan Hans H. Penner, Dartmouth College Michael Pye, University of Marburg Robert Segal, Lancaster University Jonathan Z. Smith, University of Chicago Ivan Strenski, University of California, Riverside Donald Wiebe, University of Toronto NAASR Governing Board: E. Thomas Lawson, University of Western Michigan Luther Martin, University of Vermont Donald Wiebe, University of Toronto

Abstracting & Indexing

Dietrich's Index Philosophicus International Bibliography of Book Reviews of Scolarly Literature International Bibliography of the Social Sciences Internationale Bibliographie der Zeitschriftenliteratur aus allen Gebieten des Wissens / International Bibliography of Periodicals from all Fields of Knowledge New Testament Abstracts Old Testament Abstracts Periodicals Contents Index Religion Index One: Periodicals Religion Index Two: Multi Author Works Religious & Theological Abstracts Science of Religion – Abstracts and Index of Recent Articles

Instructions for Author(s)

Reviews

'Scientists have much to learn from the historians and the cultural anthropologists. The infrastructure for constructive collaborations already exists in the form of interdisciplinary journals, such as (...) Method & Theory in the Study of Religion.' Daniel C. Dennett, Breaking the Spell

Back Volumes

Method & Theory in the Study of Religion, Volume 19 (2007)

Method & Theory in the Study of Religion, Volume 20 (2008)

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NOW AVAILABLE - Online submission: Articles for publication in Method and Theory in the Study of Religion may be submitted online, please click here. Method & Theory in the Study of Religion publishes articles, notes, book reviews and letters which explicitly address the problems of methodology and theory in the academic study of religion. This includes such traditional points of departure as history, philosophy, anthropology and sociology, but also the natural sciences, and such newer disciplinary approaches as feminist theory and studies. Method & Theory in the Study of Religion also concentrates on the critical analysis of theoretical problems prominent in the study of religion. For all editorial enquiries please contact the editor, Matthew Day at mday@fsu.edu> For the flyer of this journal click here For back volumes or issues older than 2 years, please contact Periodicals Service Company, 11 Main Street, Germantown, NY 12526, USA psc@periodicals.com / www.periodicals.com/brill.html

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