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Arabische KAMAL, Replica of 2016

Arabische KAMAL, Teak replica with knots for the latitude of Abu Dhabi 24°28’, Dubai 25°16’, Manama 26°12’ and Koeweit 29°23’

Type of object:

Astrolabe en Quadrant

Time period:

Arabieren

Place:

Dubai

Date:

2016

Maker / Author:

A carpenter from Dubai

Publisher / Printer:

Dimensions:

14 x 7 cm

Material:

Teak uit Dubai/indonesie

Graduation:

knopen op de latitude voor Abu Dhabi 24°28’, Dubai 25°16’, Manama 26°12’, Koeweit 29°23’

Inscription:

None

Provenance:

UAE

References:

Cultural Foundations of Mathematics

Image by Austin Neill

Description

The Kamal is a simple Arabic instrument to measure the hight of the pole star from the horizon. The navigator keeps the exact knot between his teeth, for one known latitude ( for example his homeport), and he looks at the pole star above, and the horizon at the bottom of this horizontally kept Kamal.
When he sails southward the pole star will drop. The moment the pole star is at the required hight, or at the ship is at the required latitude, the navigator starts sailing straigth west of eastward to his known port of initial departure, his homeport.

Additional information

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