(Presentation on the VIII. Meeting on Sundials. 22-09-2012.

Eger, Hungary)

Sundials from the Islamic world

(tamasherczeg29@gmail.com)

Tams Herczeg

The Islamic population of the Earth

232 countries about 1,5 billion muslims. (data from 2009) 22-09-2012. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muslim VIII. Meeting on Sundials. Eger HUN

One of the most known Islamic city: Istanbul

Photo: Tams Herczeg

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Map of Istanbul

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Historical centre of Istanbul with many mosques in it

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Sultanahmet mosque (Blue mosque)

Photo: Tams Herczeg

Photo: Tams Herczeg

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Sundial on the SW wall of Sultanahmet mosque

Photo: Tams Herczeg

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Hagia Sophia

Photo: Tams Herczeg

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Sundial on the SW wall of Hagia Sophia

Source: http://www.waymarking.com

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Horizontal Sundial in the Topkapi palace

Photo: Mary Garner

Photo: Mary Garner 22-09-2012. VIII. Meeting on Sundials. Eger HUN

Photo: Mary Garner

SW aligned, 2 gnomon, 3 timescale

Photo: Mary Garner

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Sleymaniye mosque

Photo: Tams Herczeg

Photo: Tams Herczeg

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2-gnomons Sundial on the SW wall of Sleymaniye mosque

Photo: Tams Herczeg

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Yeni mosque (New mosque)

Photo: Tams Herczeg

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Yeni mosque: 3 pcs Sundial on SW wall/1

Photo: Photo: Herczeg Tams Herczeg Tams

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Yeni mosque: 3 pcs Sundial on SW wall/2

Photo: Tams Herczeg

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Yeni mosque: 3 pcs Sundial on SW wall/3

Photo: Tams Herczeg

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Fatih mosque

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatih_Mosque,_Istanbul

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2-gnomons Sundial on the SW wall of Fatih mosque

The first sundial in Istanbul! Made in 1473 Made by Ali Kuscu (Invited by Fatih Szultn Mehmet From Samarkand) The sundial was restored by Prof. Dr. Atilla Bir

Source: http://www.mustafacambaz.com/details.php? image_id=32870&sessionid=d0e037f686eee561b376c7bf28bb5012

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Beyazit mosque

Photo: Herczeg Tams

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2-gnomons Sundial on the SW wall of Beyazit mosque

Evliya Celebi, As everybody knows, the timekeeper is paid a great deal because all the seamen and boatmen in the state of slam are in need of the timekeeper of Sultan Beyazid Khan. As the qiblah and the time settings of all the captains are set from the mihrap of this mosque,they are in need of the timekeeper and the mosques in Europe to correct their scales and their designationof the qiblah, following astrology, according to the clock room in Beyazid Mosque.
Source: http://www.geminitourism.com/PostV1/View.aspx?PostId=46&ContentId=767

EVLIYA CELEBI:

In Hungarian: Amint azt tudjuk, az idmr szemlyt jrszt azrt fizetik, mert az iszlm llam tengerszeinek s hajsainak szksgk van Beyazit szultn idmrjnek [adataira]. Mivel minden kapitny a qiblah-t s az idt ezen mosque mihrab-ja [s rja] alapjn lltja be, Eurpban tovbbi idmr szemlyekrevan szksg, akik a qiblah-t s az idsklt, a csillagszatot kvetve, a Beyazit mosque [adatai] alapjn hatrozzk meg. Photo: Atilla Bir qiblah = Mekka irnya mihrab = a mosqueek Mekka irnyba es szentlye

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Mihrimah Sultan mosque

Photo: Tams Herczeg

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Sundial of Mihrimah Sultan mosque

Source: http://www.muslimheritage.com

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The Umayyad mosque (Damascus)

The mosque and the Northern minaret

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umayyad_Mosque

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The sundial of Umayyad mosque in Damascus

Sundial on the Northern minaret till about 1900 Planned by: Ibn al-Shatir (kb. 1305-1375) in 1371 Astronomist, mathematician, timekeeper (muwaqqits) His idea about the Solar system is similar to Copernicus' one First polar gnomons on sundials Timescales on Sunrise, Sunset, Noon and Afternoon Model for the sundials of Islamic world (Arabic type sundials)

The copy of the original one in the Museum of Damascus

Source: http://www.google.hu/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CFwQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F %2Fwww.walkingshadow.info%2FPublications%2FOttoman%2520Sundials%2520NASS %2520(PPTminimizer).ppt&ei=ohEpUJywG4rNswbo2oGIDA&usg=AFQjCNGliyt5aSHU_3zlj3AX9OyR7awXg&sig2=_8zy5LeTXLfJnWmr1AI5Bw

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The Greatmosque in Aleppo

Source: http://www.syriaspotlight.com/index.php/tourist-sites-/aleppo/160-the-great-mosque.html 22-09-2012. VIII. Meeting on Sundials. Eger HUN

Source: http://www.syriaspotlight.com/index.php/tourist-sites-/aleppo/160-the-great-mosque.html

Sundial on the S wall of the Greatmosque in Aleppo

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stijnnieuwendijk/4676679618/

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Jerusalem

Photo: Annamria Photo: HerczegHeidt Tams

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The W side of the al-Aqsa mosque

Photo: Annamria Heidt

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Sundial on the wall of al-Aqsa mosque

Made in 1907 Made by Rushdi al-Imam

Source: http://www.islamicjerusalem.org/aqsa

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Sundial on the S wall of Rockmosque

Photo: Tams Herczeg Photo: Tams Herczeg

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The al-Hakim mosque in Kairo

http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/hakimmosque.htm

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Sundial in the Islam museum in Kairo

Made before 1273

Source: http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/gayeranderson.htm

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Sundial of al-Hakim mosque in the Islam museum of Kairo

Source: http://www.ta-dip.de/fileadmin/user_upload/bilder2/nass173_gf_Ottoman.pdf

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The Greatmosque in Kairouan

Photo: Tams Herczeg

Photo: Tams Herczeg

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4-gnomons horizontal Sundial in Greatmosque of Kairouan

Photo: Tams Herczeg

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Roma, Spagna, Trinita dei Montichurch

Photo: Tams Herczeg

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Arabic type sundial in Rome: Spagna, Trinita dei Monti church

Photo: Tams Herczeg

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Arabic type sundials in Aiello del Friuliban (Italy)

Based on Al Hakim mosque sundial in Kairo

Based on Hagia Sophia Based on Yeni mosque mosque sundial in Istanbul sundial in Istanbul
Source: http://www.ta-dip.de/fileadmin/user_upload/bilder2/nass173_gf_Ottoman.pdf

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Arabic type sundial in Altrincham (England)

Source: flickr.com/photos/gingerman/5364263343

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 and in Hungary?
Babcsa: Buda: Eger: Turkish well TURKISH RELICS
Photo: Tams Herczeg

Gl baba trbe, Tojgun pasa mosque, Mihrab (Belvrosi church) Bath (Csszr, Kirly, Rudas and Rc) Minaret Bath (Arnaut pasa, Valide sultan)

Esztergom: Ozicseli Hadzsi Ibrahim mosque, Suleyman sultan's victory board rd: Pcs: Sikls: Szigetvr: Minaret Jakovli Hasszn pasa mosque, Gzi Kszim pasa mosque, Idrisz baba trbe, Memi pasa bath, Turkish well Malkocs bej mosque Suleyman sultan mosque, Ali pasa mosque, House from Turkish Ages

Trkkoppny: Turkish well Zsmbk: Turkish well

Source: http://terebess.hu/keletkultinfo/muemlek.html

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What kind of time do these sundials show?

Trivial answer: Local time BUT there are basic problems: - Local times differ, except on the same longitud. (Modern solution: zone times) - The instabil movement of the Earth, the seasons cause differences in the length of days and daylights. (Modern solution: average day, equilong hour/day) - What is the starting point of the daytime? Sunset ( and was evening and morning, first day.) -> Italian Sunrise -> Babylon Noon (Shortest shadow) -> Egypt Midnight (Hipparchos, Copernicus) -> Present timetables - Division of the day: 2x12 or 1x24 parts.
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Then, what do these sundials show? (1)

Fatih mosque sundial Time: Sunrise + 8,75/12 unit, and the end of Asr

Source: Atilla Bir, personal

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Islamic prayer times

1., SOBEH (Fajr): Before sunrise 2., DOHER (Zawaal or Zuhr): Zenit of Sun, shortest shadow

3., ASR:

Begins:gnomon + shortest shadow Ends:gnomon + 2x shortest shadow

4., MAGREB (Maghrib): Sunset 5., ISHA (Isha'a): Evening, after sunset

Photo: Tams Herczeg Photo: Tams Herczeg

Mezzin-accessories nowdays

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Then, what do these sundials show? (2)

Sundial of Hagia Sophia: Indicates DOHER (Zawaal) and ASR

Source: http://www.ta-dip.de/fileadmin/user_upload/bilder2/nass173_gf_Ottoman.pdf

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Then, what do these sundials show? (3)

Reconstruction and adaptation of the sundial of Al Hakim mosque in Kairo

1., Asr1 and qiblah 2., Time and Zawaal 3., Asr2, Fajr-6 and Fajr-14

Source: http://www.ta-dip.de/fileadmin/user_upload/bilder2/nass173_gf_Ottoman.pdf

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Then, what do these sundials show? (4)

Computer drawing of horizontal sundial in Topkapi palace

Source: A. Bir and M. Kacar: The History of Sundials. In Visible Faces of the Time. Timepices. YKY Istanbul, 2009. p. 46.

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Then, what do these sundials show? (5)

Sundial in Greatmosque of Kairouan: 4 or 5(!) gnomons

Photo: Tams Herczeg

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Summary
The main function of the sundials in Islam world to show prayer times.
In modern age: - Tables - Internet programes (about 178 million prayer time in 0,5 sec on Google) (e.g. http://www.islamicfinder.org/ http://www.islamicity.com/prayertimes/?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1 http://praytime.info/) - Apps on handies

But: The modern applications might not be created without old knowledge!
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Acknowledgements

Prof. Dr. BIR, Atilla

FERJANI, Naceur

GARNER, Murray & Mary

Dr. ERDLYI Anna 22-09-2012.

Dr. KLUDK Istvn VIII. Meeting on Sundials. Eger HUN