13th century Khawja Nasir observatory unearthed in Iran
By ANIMonday, October 18, 2010
TEHRAN - Archaeologists have discovered ruins of an observatory that had been built by the Iranian polymath Khawja Nasir ad-Din Tusi at a castle during the 13th century in Iran.
“We have found three hatches opening toward the southeast where stars begin shining at the end of the day,” Mehr News Agency quoted Hamideh Chubak of Alamut Research Center as saying.
She said that the hatches were definitely not for the purpose of keeping watch on the surrounding area.
“The general structure of the Alamut Castle possesses characteristics that indicate it had also been used for observatory activities,” she said.
The height of the Alamut Castle is appropriate for observatory activities, which can be done from every side of the structure, said Chubak.
The long period Khawja Nasir ad-Din Tusi lived in the Alamut Castle, archaeologists believe that he had most likely built an observatory in the castle.
“By comparison with the Margheh Observatory, we learned that Khawja Nasir ad-Din Tusi had built the observatory after the structure at Alamut. Thus, he used the Alamut observatory’s plan to construct the Margheh Observatory,” she noted.
Outstanding Persian philosopher, scientist, and mathematician Khawja Nasir ad-Din Tusi spent 26 years studying in Alamut. (ANI)
