ZADAR, May 16 (Hina) - Astronomical tables dating back to the 13th century and originating from Zadar, a port on Croatia's central Adriatic coast, will this year be returned to their place of origin after being discovered at the
Oxford University library. The rare astronomical tables, called ephemerides, were made in 1292. According to Zadar-based daily paper Narodni List, the navigation of open seas and the discovery of new worlds in the Middle Ages would have been inconceivable without them. The Zadar tables are returning home thanks to the efforts of the Zadar-Sibenik County Association of Merchant Marine Captains and Lieutenants, and assistance from Zagrebacka Banka. The astronomical tables discovered in Oxford represent a little known, but in scientific circles valuable historical document. The most important ephemerides were made by Johann Mueller Regiomontanus in the 1
ZADAR, May 16 (Hina) - Astronomical tables dating back to the 13th
century and originating from Zadar, a port on Croatia's central
Adriatic coast, will this year be returned to their place of origin
after being discovered at the Oxford University library.
The rare astronomical tables, called ephemerides, were made in
1292. According to Zadar-based daily paper Narodni List, the
navigation of open seas and the discovery of new worlds in the
Middle Ages would have been inconceivable without them.
The Zadar tables are returning home thanks to the efforts of the
Zadar-Sibenik County Association of Merchant Marine Captains and
Lieutenants, and assistance from Zagrebacka Banka.
The astronomical tables discovered in Oxford represent a little
known, but in scientific circles valuable historical document. The
most important ephemerides were made by Johann Mueller
Regiomontanus in the 15th century. His tables were preceded by many
others, the most important coming from Toledo in 1080 and those made
by Alfonso in 1248.
The Zadar ephemerides from the late 13th century, which remained in
the shadow of those, were made as part of a calendar which contained
the moon's four cycles, saints' names, information on the day's and
the night's length and the sun's position in the zodiac.
Based on the sun's position on March 13, A. Van Dijk established in
his Hundlist of the Latin Liturgical Manuscripts that the Zadar
tables referred to the years 1292 and 1293. They were made at
Chrysogonus, a Benedictine monastery in Zadar and were transferred
to Avignone in Italy in early 14th century by a monk called Mihovil.
The tables were subsequently taken to the Mont Saint Michelle
monastery in Normandy, then to the Saint Mary Abbey in Dorchester,
and finally to Oxford.
Written in Gothic, the Zadar tables also contain Arabic besides the
Roman numerals, making them one of the oldest documents to do so.
Further evidence corroborating the ephemerides come from Zadar are
the names of Zadar saints Krsevan, Anastasia, Zoil, and others.
(hina) ha jn