![The ancient astrolabe where Jewish and Islamic science mix](https://cdn.magzter.com/1588175420/1710485880/articles/VViypGOKy1710489654748/THE-ANCIENT-ASTROLABE-WHERE-JEWISH-AND-ISLAMIC-SCIENCE-MIX.jpg)
The historian's gaze snagged on a photo of a metal disc with a ring at the top that was kept in the same Verona museum as Moscardo's picture.
Gigante immediately knew she was looking at an astrolabe - an instrument used to map the stars and tell the time - and an extraordinary one at that.
But she would have no idea just how rare and special it was until she travelled to the Fondazione Museo Miniscalchi Erizzo three months later and watched the light stream through one of the museum's windows to illuminate the instrument's brass features.
"I saw it was a lot more ancient than they'd realised," she said. "But at that point, I had no idea it had Hebrew on it. It was only when we took it to a side room and I started to analyse it - by chance I was sitting by a window and the raking light came in - that I started to see these scratches. They were very strange because they weren't the scratches you'd expect from use. I thought maybe I was just a bit too tired, but more kept coming out."
Gigante, a research associate at Cambridge University's history faculty and a former curator of Islamic scientific instruments at Oxford University's History of Science Museum, had stumbled on a remarkable astrolabe that has passed through Muslim, Jewish and Christian hands in Spain, north Africa and Italy in the 10 centuries since it was constructed in Andalucía.
This story is from the March 15, 2024 edition of The Guardian Weekly.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the March 15, 2024 edition of The Guardian Weekly.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
![Dangerous Alliance Putin And Kim Are The Odd Couple With A Dual Mission](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21668/1747903/uEKyeu5451719558107995/crp_DANGEROUS-ALLIANCE-PUTIN-AND-KIM-ARE-THE-ODD-COUPLE-WITH-A-DUAL-MISSION.jpg)
Dangerous Alliance Putin And Kim Are The Odd Couple With A Dual Mission
They make an odd couple. One is smiley-faced and chubby. The other is thin-lipped and scowls a lot.
![Evangelicals On Crusade To Return Trump To Presidency](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21668/1747903/G-YRLqrPf1719559082295/crp_EVANGELICALS-ON-CRUSADE-TO-RETURN-TRUMP-TO-PRESIDENCY.jpg)
Evangelicals On Crusade To Return Trump To Presidency
God's army is on the march. And many of its foot soldiers are wearing Make America Great Again regalia, sensing that their unlikely standard-bearer, former US president Donald Trump, is once again close to the promised land.
![Friends Reunited What Can Russia And North Korea Do For Each Other?](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21668/1747903/aQs916T6m1719557958763/crp_FRIENDS-REUNITED-WHAT-CAN-RUSSIA-AND-NORTH-KOREA-DO-FOR-EACH-OTHER.jpg)
Friends Reunited What Can Russia And North Korea Do For Each Other?
China accounts for more than 90% of North Korea's trade and has been its most dependable aid donor and diplomatic ally.
![Tensions Rise On Border As War Looms](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21668/1747903/bLdjbA-DK1719558717144/crp_TENSIONS-RISE-ON-BORDER-AS-WAR-LOOMS.jpg)
Tensions Rise On Border As War Looms
Doctors prepare for casualties, people flee their homes and apprehension hangs in the air as threat grows of conflict with Hezbollah
![The Prosecution Of Roy Is A Stark Warning From Modi To His Critics Salil Tripathi](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21668/1747903/Vqvuuonye1719559976219/crp_THE-PROSECUTION-OF-ROY-IS-A-STARK-WARNING-FROM-MODI-TO-HIS-CRITICS-SALIL-TRIPATHI.jpg)
The Prosecution Of Roy Is A Stark Warning From Modi To His Critics Salil Tripathi
This month, the highest ranking bureaucrat of the state of Delhi, Vinai Kumar Saxena, permitted the Delhi police to prosecute Arundhati Roy (pictured), and Sheikh Showkat Hussain for remarks they made at a public event 14 years ago.
![Heads up Road deaths prompt a rethink over bike helmets](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21668/1747903/oKI6I-6zF1719560816312/HEADS-UP-ROAD-DEATHS-PROMPT-A-RETHINK-OVER-BIKE-HELMETS.jpg)
Heads up Road deaths prompt a rethink over bike helmets
When 42-year-old Myrthe Boss gets on her bike to go shopping in the Dutch town of Ede, she pops on a helmet.
![How Easter Island is swamped by deluge of plastic](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21668/1747903/_ckmlXWmi1719560645633/HOW-EASTER-ISLAND-IS-SWAMPED-BY-DELUGE-OF-PLASTIC.jpg)
How Easter Island is swamped by deluge of plastic
Ocean currents are dumping tides of multinational rubbish on to the shores of one of the world's most remote habitats
![Bold ideas for a well-dressed salad - and without the need for oil](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21668/1747903/Q2TpyS_UD1719560434641/BOLD-IDEAS-FOR-A-WELLDRESSED-SALAD-AND-WITHOUT-THE-NEED-FOR-OIL.jpg)
Bold ideas for a well-dressed salad - and without the need for oil
It's hard to deny the transformative power of a good salad dressing, but you don't need much oil, if any. Honey, for example, will give \"a natural stickiness that helps adhesion to your salad, while the sweetness balances the acidity of vinegar\", says Tony Rodd, head chef at Pomus in Margate
![The German theatre that puts climate centre stage](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21668/1747903/APT2A8FD21719560346362/THE-GERMAN-THEATRE-THAT-PUTS-CLIMATE-CENTRE-STAGE.jpg)
The German theatre that puts climate centre stage
As part of a wider project to reduce its carbon footprint, a Potsdam theatre is reusing props, recycling costumes and doubling up tickets as transport passes
![Out of the shadows](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21668/1747903/eOYIk7XPZ1719560133674/OUT-OF-THE-SHADOWS.jpg)
Out of the shadows
Anthony McCall made his name with 'light sculptures' that people could enter. But a show in Sweden led to 20 years in the wilderness