Mater

The throne, cast in one piece with the mater and rim, is high and triangular in shape and has an elaborately and delicately pierced base. Both sides bear inscriptions to Safi Quli Beg, an Emir at the court of Shah 'Abbas II. A magnetic compass, with glass cover and silvery casing has been inserted in the throne at the back. Along the rim is an inscription relating to the '14 protected ones' (the prophet, his mother Fatima, and the 12 Imams of duodecimal Shi'ism). The surface of the mater is elaborately engraved with a geographical gazetteer for 78 localities.On the back of the instrument, amongst various scales, curves and tables, is the signature of the maker: 'Ibn Muhammad Amin Muhammad Mahdi al-Khadim al-Yazdi, indigent in front of God the All-Sufficient, may He forgive him'. The whole surface of the alidade bears ornamented descriptions, including two Persian verses.