378 Dr. Dork's Description of an Arabic Celestial Globe. 



belongs to the Astronomical Society of London. The names of the stars on 

 it are engraven in Arabic ; without, however, the figures of the constellations 

 being added. Neither the year of its construction, nor the name of the 

 maker, appear on it ; but it is evidently of so very recent a date, that it has 

 been even supposed to have been made in England. We know, at least, that 

 it was once the custom in Holland, to construct celestial globes with the 

 names of the stars in Latin and Arabic. 



The fourth globe is preserved in the museum of the Royal Asiatic Society, 

 in which it was deposited by Sir John Malcolm, and is undoubtedly one of 

 its most valuable curiosities. It is made of brass, and apparently of Persian 

 workmanship ; wiiicli not only the manner in which the animal figures 

 are represented, but also the mode of denoting the year of its construction, 

 seem to indicate. Tlie inscription, which is engraven in Cufic characters, 

 in the vicinity of the South Pole, runs thus : 



" Made by the most humble in the supreme God, Moiianmied ben Helal, 

 the astronomer of Mousul, in tlie year of the Hejra 674." 



This year answers to the year 1275 of the CInistian era, and ])roves the 

 globe to have been made in the same century in which both tlic Borgiau 

 globe and that at Dresden were constructed. 



• : This globe has, besides the constellations then known, amounting to 

 forty-seven, including the signs of the Zodiac, the other requisites 

 of a celestial globe ; the Zodiac, with the degrees marked on it ; the 

 ecliptic, &c. ; and we find in their respective places on the circumfe- 

 rence of the horizon, the words j^ east, t-j/ west, JU.i north, ^-y:*- 

 south. But as the globe is accessible to every member of the Society, i 

 think it unnecessary to dwell longer on its mere form, and shall therefore 

 proceed to the constellations and their stars, which are to be found upon its 

 surface.* 



The Northern Constellations. 



1. J:Ji\ OjJl The Lesser, or Little Bear. 



A"fXT05 //<xfi Arctos, Ursa Minor. 



This constellation, according to Kazvini, consists of twelve stars ; seven 

 of which lie within, and five without the figure ; and which together are 



* The constellations of the noi-thern liemisphcre, as represented on this globe, are given in tlit 

 accompanying plate A.; those of the southern hemisphere, in plate B. 



