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The Quadrans Vetus is a
The Quadrans Vetus is a medieval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the Post-classical, post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with t ...
astronomical instrument.
Known as the ''quadrans vetus'' old quadrant" the three surviving medieval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the Post-classical, post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with t ...
examples are in the Museo Galileo
Museo Galileo, the former ''Istituto e Museo di Storia della Scienza'' (Institute and Museum of the History of Science) is located in Florence, Italy, in Piazza dei Giudici, along the River Arno and close to the Uffizi Gallery. The museum, dedicate ...
in Florence
Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico an ...
, the Museum of the History of Science
The History of Science Museum in Broad Street, Oxford, England, holds a leading collection of scientific instruments from Middle Ages to the 19th century. The museum building is also known as the Old Ashmolean Building to distinguish it from th ...
in Oxford, and the British Museum
The British Museum is a public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is among the largest and most comprehensive in existence. It docum ...
in London.
There are two sights on one of the straight sides. The front carries the shadow square, the hour lines, and a mobile zodiacal cursor in its guide, to be positioned for the desired latitude. The back is inscribed with the zodiacal calendar. The instrument displays Gothic characters. Designed to measure heights, distances, and depths, the instrument could also be used as a universal dial. A similar quadrant is documented in a drawing by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger
250px, A model of the Apostolic Palace, which was the main project of Bramante during Sangallo's apprenticeship.
250px, The church of Santa Maria di Loreto near the Rome.html"_;"title="Trajan's_Market_in_Rome">Trajan's_Market_in_Rome.
image: ...
(c. 1520?) at the Gabinetto dei Disegni e delle Stampe (Department of Drawings and Prints) of the Uffizi
The Uffizi Gallery (; it, Galleria degli Uffizi, italic=no, ) is a prominent art museum located adjacent to the Piazza della Signoria in the Historic Centre of Florence in the region of Tuscany, Italy. One of the most important Italian museums ...
.
References
Bibliography
{{Cite book, title=Catalogue of sun-dials, nocturnals and related instruments, publisher=Giunti, year=2007, isbn=978-88-09-04999-4, editor-last=Anthony J. Turner, location=Firenze, page=34-38, board n. 3, language=it Astronomical instruments