>Dear list members, IN the article The History of the Sundial : The Beginning of Recorded Time found at http://www.americanantiquities.com/articles/article14.html, I quote:' Almost 1500 years later, the emperor of Rome, Augustus (63 B.C. - 14 A.D.) moved Cleopatra's Needle to Alexandria, founded by Alexander the Great some three hundred years before. The hemicyclium in question was unearthed at the base of Cleopatra's Needle there; the numeral style indicates it was there after Alexander (about 332 B.C.). This artifact now resides in the British Museum.'
In short, I am interested in learning more about this particular hemicyclium. Sincerely, Ronit Maoz Hi Ronit, Strictly speaking a conical dial, it has the reference 3086G in Sharon Gibbs 'Greek and Roman Sundials' Yale UniversityThesis which is published by Yale University Press, 1976. It has the British Museum ref 1936 3-9 1. Details are given by Gibbs as: H=404mm W=429mm (There are other measurements given there too.) The gnomon hole has a semicircular vertical section 50mm wide and 51mm deep. Eleven hour lines extend from winter to summer solstice. The three 'day' curves have been engraved always equidistant from each other and from the lower edge of the conical surface. Dots are visible at the junctions of hour lines and winter solstice line. Six shallow steps decorate the base. Seven greek letters have been engaved in the spaces below the equinox close to the right hour line. It was found in 1852 at the base of the needle in Alexandria. Gibbs says that it is a unique example of a conical dial with hours marked in Greek letters. The lettering is probably Byzantine but the museum has charaacterised the dial as Ptolemaic. Ref: A Guide to the Eguptian Collections in the British Museum, London 1909, p72 and p273. Also Mrs Gatty's Sundials pp42-43 There is a B&W photo (Plate 48) of the dial in Gibbs book. Hope this helps Patrick ------------------------------------------------------------------------- E-Mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Patrick_Powers/ Lat: N 51d. 49m. 09s: Long: W 00d. 21m. 53s -
