What Is This Hebrew Astrolabe?

This Hebrew astrolabe is an ancient astronomical device which was used to interpret time by the positon of the sun and the stars in the sky. Apart from finding the time of the day or night, astrolabes were used for mathematical calculations and predicting horoscopes. The very first astrolabes were made in 150B.C in Greece. By 800 B.C the astrolabe was well developed in the Islamic world and was used for various purposes such as timekeeping, survey and determining prayer time. Also, it was used as a navigational tool to determine the direction of Mecca. Since astrology has always been an essential part of the early Muslim culture, Islamic scholars used the astrolabe to make astrological predictions.

It wasn’t until the 11th century, when