Islamic Maritime Astrolabe

Timeline

1. 1331–1335Damascus · SyriaAstronomical instrument workshops in Damascus and Cairo continued to produce maritime astrolabes, using brass casting, fine scales, and interchangeable latitude plates, enabling merchant ships in the Indian Ocean and Red Sea to measure the noon solar altitude and calculate latitude.
2. 1336–1340Indian Ocean routes · Arabian SeaIn the era recorded by travelers such as Ibn Battuta, Arab and Persian merchant ships were commonly equipped with astrolabes, combining monsoon sailing patterns with stellar observations to achieve relatively reliable latitude navigation on the Indian Ocean spice and silk trade routes.