Maragheh observatory

Coordinates: 37°23′45.88″N 46°12′32.97″E / 37.3960778°N 46.2091583°E / 37.3960778; 46.2091583
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Central Tower of the Maragheh Observatory

The Maragheh observatory (

Jai Singh observatory in Jaipur.[3]

History

Painting of Al-Tusi and colleagues working on the Zij-i Ilkhani at the observatory

Background and pre-Mongol conquest

The region of Alamut was previously held by the Nizaris, a sect of Shia Islam also referred to as the Assassins or Hashashins.

Mongol conquest and establishment of the conservatory

Main article: Mongol campaign against the Nizaris
Painting depicting Hulagu's capture of Baghdad

Hulagu Khan was a Mongol ruler and the grandson of Genghis Khan. As the Mongols expanded their territory Hulagu was put it charge of conquering Mesopotamia, Persia, Egypt, Syria, and the Abbasid Caliphate, the territory that would become the Ilkhanate.[2][4] From 1253 to 1256, Hulagu and his army were waging a campaign of conquest against the Nizaris in the Iranian region of Alamut.[4] In 1256, the Mongols took the Alamut castle, where al-Tusi and several other scholars had taken refuge to continue their studies.[4] However, there is dispute over whether or not al-Tusi was held by the Nizaris against his will, or even assisted the Mongols in their attack.[5]

Hulagu respected al-Tusi for his scholarship in science and decided to appoint him as a

sack Baghdad.[6] In the newly formed Ilkhanate, al-Tusi was placed in charge of waqfs, a type of religious endowments, which Hulagu would later order him to use to build and fund the observatory.[7] Prior to 1259, al-Tusi spoke to Hulagu about the need for new astronomy tables; due to his own interest in astrology, the Khan responded by authorizing the funding and construction of the Maragheh observatory, and later made Maragheh the capital of the Ilkhanate.[2] In one account, Al-Tusi took advantage of Hulagu's superstitions, and told him that he could predict the future if he would sponsor the observatory.[2] A second account suggests that Hulagu's brother, Mongke Khan had a great interest in mathematics and astronomy, and this influenced Hulagu's decision to reach out to al-Tusi to construct the observatory.[2] Regardless of the original reasons for the construction, Hulagu became the first ruler to fund an observatory by sponsoring its construction with a waqf
.

Construction and use of the site

The construction of the observatory began in 1259 and lasted between 3 and 5 years.[8][9][10] Some speculate that after Mongke's death, there was a short period when construction came to a halt.[8] Mu’ayyad al-Din ‘Urdi was then appointed to be in charge of construction.[2] Hulagu gave al-Tusi permission to build a new observatory in the location of his choosing, and al-Tusi chose the town of Maragha in modern-day Iran.[11] Al-Tusi was the first director of the observatory, and he oversaw the placement of new instruments, recruitment of staff, the stocking of an integrated library, and was appointed administrator of the observatory's endowment.[2]

The physical site

The site for the observatory was situated outside of Maragheh city on a flat-topped hill, which spanned about 400 meters in length by 150 meters in width.[2] The layout of the site consisted of one central tower[12] and five other circular platforms.[13] The site also included a building dedicated to metalworking (for the creation of astronomical tools), as well as living quarters.[13] The site also contained a large dome, the purpose of which was to allow the resident astronomers to measure the placement and motion of the sun.[2]

Notable scientists

Men of mathematics, science, and astronomy came to the Maragheh Observatory from across the

Bar-Hebraeus
, who late in his life took residence close to the observatory in order to use the library for his studies; he left a description of the observatory.

A number of other prominent astronomers worked with Tusi at the observatory, such as

Mu'ayyid al-Din al-'Urdi, from Damascus, Qutb al-Din al-Shirazi, and Hulagu's Chinese astronomer Fao Munji, whose Chinese astronomical experience brought improvements to the Ptolemaic
system used by Tusi.

After 12 years of intense work by al-Tusi and other scientists, including Mu’yed al-Din al-Arad-Najmedin Cathy, Najmd al-Din Qazvini, Allame Qutbuddin Shirazi, and Fakhruddin Maraghi, the tables were compiled in the Zij-i Ilkhani.[14] The tables were published during the reign of Abaqa Khan, Hulagu's son, and were named after the patron of the observatory.

Nasir al-Din al-Tusi

Tusi couple from Vat. Arabic ms 319

Nasir Al-Din al-Tusi was the lead astronomer and first director of the observatory. His most notable work was the creation of the Tusi-couple, a geometric based system that solved some of the fundamental issues with Ptolemaic calculations.[16] Other notable works were revisions to Euclid's Elements[2] and Ptolemy's Almagest[17] as well as the astronomical handbook titled Zīj-i Īlkhānī or Ilkhanic Tables detailing the movement of the planets.[18] About 350 years before Galileo had viewed the Milky Way through his telescope, Tusi had already offered his own thoughts on the galaxy, stating that the “milky” color was likely due to clusters of small stars.[2]

Mu'ayyid al-Din al-'Urdi

Mu'ayyid al-Din al-'Urdi was an astronomer and engineer who was in charge of constructing the buildings of observatory as well as manufacturing the astronomical instruments.[2][16] It is believed that he also played a key role in designing the "complex system of water wheels" for the observatory.[2] In his detailed account of the instruments, he lists the Mural quadrant and the Armillary Sphere as two of the instruments he designed for the observatory.[18] The Celestial Globe however was likely crafted around 1300 by Muhammad, the son of Mu'ayyad al-Din al-Urdi who's signature can be found on the globe. It is made out of brass with silver and gold inlay and was acquired in 1562 by Augustus, Elector of Saxony.[19]

Decline and legacy

The decline of the Maragheh observatory began in the 13th century.[11] The observatory survived during the reign of seven rulers of the dynasty, including the reigns of Abaqa and Uljaytu.[8] After al-Tusi's death, his son Sadr al-Din succeeded him as director of the observatory.[2] During Uljaytu's reign, he appointed al-Tusi's other son, ‘Asil al-Din as director.[2][11] Scholars and students of mathematics, science, and astronomy came to the Maragheh Observatory from across the Islamic world and up to the eastern borders of China.[8] Like other madrasas constructed in Islamic structures at the time, the observatory also served as an educational institution, focused on teaching astronomy and providing hands-on experience with the available instruments.[2][15]

At the time, the Maragheh Observatory was the first observatory to outlive its founder, remaining active for more than 50 years, with over a hundred astronomers conducting research in the facility during its lifespan.

Shah Abbas the Great of Persia arranged for repair sometime in the early 17th century, but the Shah died before the restoration could begin.The observatory became inactive by the beginning of the 14th century, but the design influenced several other observatories. One example is the Ulugh-Bey observatory, located in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. This observatory, built in the 1420s, was similar in scale to the Maragheh Observatory. The Ulugh-Bey Observatory later served as a reference for European observatories.[8][11]

Hulagu's older brother,

al-Urdi and made of bronze inlaid with silver and gold.[11]

Renewed academic interest

Site plan of the Maragheh Observatory

The Maragheh observatory was excavated by the Iranian archeologist Parviz Varjavand in 1972 after his work was commissioned by the University of Tehran and the University of Tabriz.[12] Before this excavation there had been no modern archaeological research conducted into this ancient scientific site.[3]

The excavation took place on a hill located west of the town of Maragheh[1][2] where the central tower along with numerous other architectural units were unearthed including a residence for Hulagu and a mosque.[2] The central tower had a circular plan and was divided by a long corridor so that there were six spaces on either side. It was the main space in which observations took place as well as scientific documents were kept. Smaller circular units were found near the central tower, which are thought to have been the platforms on which astronomical instruments were placed.[21] A casting workshop, a school building as well as a large library was part of the scientific research complex of the observatory[12][3]

Fragments of glass and pottery were found as well as copper coins and a gold coin from the IIkhanid period. A variety of architectural stones (brick, carved and engraved stone, glazed tile) which were used for the construction and the ornamentation of the buildings were also discovered.[3][12]

On the west side of the hill, Varjavand also came across the so-called the Rasadkhana caves with temple like rock structures which resemble Chinese and Mongol religious architectural styles. These underground spaces are believed to have been used by visitors for religious ceremonies during the Ilkhanid period.[1]

Preserving the site

Dome of the Maragheh observatory

In recent years, interest has increased in the historical significance of this site. A dome shaped cover has been built to protect the remnants of the observatory. Nearby Tabriz University has been responsible for the management and protection of the Maragheh site since the late 70's.[13] In collaboration with the municipality of Maragheh, there are new renovation projects that are being conducted to preserve the site[22]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Niri, J. S. (2017). Determine the function and design of architectural and astronomical ... Determine the Function and Design of Architectural and Astronomical Observatory Discovered in the Maragheh. Retrieved November 8, 2022, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/349064264_Determine_the_Function_and_Design_of_Architectural_and_Astronomical_Observatory_Discovered_in_the_Maragheh
  2. ^
    ISBN 978-0-7486-4911-2
    , retrieved 2022-11-17
  3. ^ a b c d Ali Barzegar. Iranian Studies, vol. 22, no. 2/3, 1989, pp. 129–31. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/4310671. Accessed 14 Nov. 2022.
  4. ^ a b c "بهنام". www.ichodoc.ir. Archived from the original on 2019-03-29. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
  5. ^ "The Maragha Observatory Complex in Ilkhanid Iran | MPIWG". www.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
  6. ^ a b "Hulagu Khan Destroyed Thousands Of Priceless Ancient Books Kept In The House Of Wisdom In Baghdad | Ancient Pages". www.ancientpages.com. 21 June 2018. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
  7. ^ a b "Nasir al-Din al-Tusi and Astronomy | The Institute of Ismaili Studies". iis.ac.uk. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
  8. ^
    JSTOR 1580266
    .
  9. ProQuest 1303887194
    .
  10. ^ "UNESCO Astronomy and World Heritage Webportal – Show entity". www3.astronomicalheritage.net. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
  11. ^ a b c d e "UNESCO Astronomy and World Heritage Webportal – Show entity". www3.astronomicalheritage.net. Retrieved 2019-03-16.
  12. ^ a b c d Varjavand, P. (1987). Kāvosh-e raṣad khāneh-ye Marāgheh va negāhī be pīshīneh-ye setāreh shenāsī dar Irān, [The Excavation of the Maragheh Observatory and a Look at the History of Astronomy in Iran]. Amir Kabir.
  13. ^ a b c d e "UNESCO Astronomy and World Heritage Webportal - Show entity". www3.astronomicalheritage.net. Retrieved 2022-11-17.
  14. ^ a b "بهنام". www.ichodoc.ir. Archived from the original on 2019-03-29. Retrieved 2019-03-16.
  15. ^
    S2CID 253891545
    .
  16. ^ a b Saliba, George (2007). Islamic Science and the Making of the European Renaissance. MIT Press. p. 202.
  17. S2CID 253890523
    – via JSTOR.
  18. ^ a b Sayili, Aydin (1960). The Oberservatory in Islam and its Place in the General History of the Observatory. Ankara: Turk Tarih Kurumu Basimevi. p. 204.
  19. ^ Oestmann, Günther (July 1997). "Measuring and Dating the Arabic Celestial Globe at Dresden".
  20. ^ a b "Maragheh Observatory". Retrieved 2019-08-17.
  21. ^ Ruggles, C., & Cotte, M. (2010). The first ICOMOS–IAU Thematic Study. UNESCO Astronomy and World Heritage Webportal - Thematic Study 1. Retrieved November 15, 2022, from https://www3.astronomicalheritage.net/index.php/thematic-study-1
  22. ^ "Restoration work begins on Maragheh observatory". August 2022.

References

Further reading

37°23′45.88″N 46°12′32.97″E / 37.3960778°N 46.2091583°E / 37.3960778; 46.2091583

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Maragheh_observatory&oldid=1189525682"