Sun Dial with Aramaic Inscription from Madain Saleh

Illustration

Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin
by
published on 03 September 2018
Subscribe to author
Sun Dial with Aramaic Inscription from Madain Saleh Download Full Size Image

The concave inner side of the half dome-shaped dial is divided into 12 parts by 11 radial lines. The rod perpendicular to the center is the pointer. The shadow of the pointer falls on the radial lines as the sun moves. Although the system of dividing the time passing between sunrise and sunset into 12 equal units was used in Mesopotamia as early as the Sumerian times, this type of dial is known as the Babylonian Dial. First century BCE. From Madain Saleh, in modern-day Saudia Arabia. (Ancient Orient Museum, Istanbul, Turkey).

Remove Ads
Advertisement
Subscribe to this author

About the Author

Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin
Associate Professor of Neurology and lover of the Cradle of Civilization, Mesopotamia. I'm very interested in Mesopotamian history and always try to take photos of archaeological sites and artifacts in museums, both in Iraq and around the world.

Cite This Work

APA Style

Amin, O. S. M. (2018, September 03). Sun Dial with Aramaic Inscription from Madain Saleh. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/image/9154/sun-dial-with-aramaic-inscription-from-madain-sale/

Chicago Style

Amin, Osama Shukir Muhammed. "Sun Dial with Aramaic Inscription from Madain Saleh." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified September 03, 2018. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/9154/sun-dial-with-aramaic-inscription-from-madain-sale/.

MLA Style

Amin, Osama Shukir Muhammed. "Sun Dial with Aramaic Inscription from Madain Saleh." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 03 Sep 2018. Web. 23 Feb 2025.

Membership