Throughout the Arabo-Islamic control of the Iberian Peninsula, astrologers performed the ongoing task of producing instruments for astronomy and drafting treatises, which in many cases constituted innovations and local developments. This article summarizes the achievements in Moorish astronomical instrumentation, highlighting the importance of the first astrolabe produced by Ibn al-Saffar, the oldest astrolabe from Al-Andalus to be dated. These astronomical instruments performed a wide range of scientific, mathematical and astronomical functions, from observing celestial objects to serving as mathematical and trigonometric instruments. Examples are provided to illustrate their uses and functions, as well as the ways in which they changed across time and their exportation, always with a focus on Al-Andalus.
Astrology, astrolabes, Al-Andalus, science, astronomical instruments, mathematics.