Name of Object:

Astronomical instrument: Qiblanuma

Location:

Sultanahmet, Istanbul, Türkiye

Holding Institution:

Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts

Date of Object:

Hegira 1151 / AD 1738–9

Description:

Qiblanumas are portable astronomical instruments that show the direction to the Ka'ba in Mecca, which Muslims face to pray. They remained in use until the late AH 13th / AD 19th century and this example produced in Istanbul was decorated with a lacquering technique known as Edirnekari.

Type of Object

Scientific instrument; metalwork

Citation of this web page:

"Astronomical instrument: Qiblanuma" in "Sharing History", Museum With No Frontiers, 2026.
https://sharinghistory.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;AWE;tr;1;en

MWNF Working Number: TR1 001