Mariner’s Astrolabe

This weathered bronze disc is a mariner’s astrolabe, an early navigation tool used by European sailors to measure the height of the sun or stars above the horizon. From these measurements, navigators could estimate their ship’s latitude, helping them plot a course across the open ocean.

Recovered from a shipwreck, this astrolabe bears the marks of salt, time, and tragedy. Its survival is rare, most were lost, damaged, or melted down. This one tells a powerful story: of brave voyages, skilled navigation, and the ever-present risk of a journey that never returned.