In times before modern navigation systems existed, sailors observed celestial bodies to determine their direction. One of the most important instruments used for this purpose was the Davis quadrant.
This navigational device allowed for the measurement of the altitude of the Sun and other celestial bodies above the horizon. Invented in the 16th century, the Davis quadrant was widely used until the end of the 18th century.
The Davis quadrant exhibited at the “Surakhani” Ship Museum is one of the rare surviving examples. The only other known example is preserved at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich.
You can see this valuable exhibit up close in the “Navigation and Communication” hall of the “Surakhani” Ship Museum.
- Origin: Netherlands
- Year: 1740
- Materials: Ivory, ironwood, pear wood, iron, and copper
- Dimensions: 36.5 × 63.5 cm
