For some time, and particularly since 11 September 2001, there has been a vacuum in discourse between the West and the Arab world. Contemporary Arab Affairs seeks to publish work by specialists, policy experts and scholars from the region itself and the international community. Drawing on the expertise of the Centre for Arab Unity Studies, a well-established publisher of research in Arabic, Contemporary Arab Affairs will present the best of modern Arab scholarship in the English language. Disclaimer The Centre for Arab Unity Studies and Taylor & Francis make every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the 8220;Content8221;) contained in its publications. However, the Centre for Arab Unity Studies and Taylor & Francis and its agents and licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness or suitability for any purpose of the Content and disclaim all such representations and warranties whether express or implied to the maximum extent permitted by law. Any views expressed in this publication are the views of the authors and are not necessarily the views of the Editor, the Centre for Arab Unity Studies or Taylor & Francis.
© Nicolas Brodu. 2003 The astrolabe is an ancient astronomical computer for solving problemsrelating to time and the position of the sun and stars in the sky.Historians credit the invention of the astrolabe to classical Greece.Brass astrolabes were highly developed in the Islamic world of the 8thcentury and later. chiefly as an aid to navigation and as a way offinding the direction of Mecca. In the Middle Ages it found its wayback to Europe and became the chief navigational instrument until theinvention of the sextant in the 18th century.