Three-Point Compasses

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Name probably used since the sixteenth century (documented in the inventory of Federico Cesi’s belongings).


Contents

Historic Period

16th C.


Description

Compass used to reproduce drawings on the same scale, especially for mapmaking purposes. The instrument is formed of three legs that can open freely to mark the vertices of any triangle. Drawings were reproduced on the same scale by means of triangulation. The compass could also be used to construct a map from a terrestrial or celestial globe.


Bibliographical Resources

Inventario dei beni di Federico Cesi, Roma, Bibl. Lincea e Corsiniana, Archivio Linceo 32, cc. 84v-102v ("Compasso da tre punte scudi uno").

Nicolò, Anna; Solinas, Francesco. Per una analisi del collezionismo Linceo: L’Archivio Linceo 32 e il Museo di Federico Cesi, in Federico Cesi, Atti del Convegno (Acquasparta, 7-9 ottobre 1985) Roma, Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, 1986, pp. 193-212, in part. pp. 206-212.


Existing Instruments

Florence, Museo Galileo. Institute and Museum of the History of Science, Inv. 1480.
Florence, Museo Galileo. Institute and Museum of the History of Science, Inv. 243, 244, 247.


Images


Author of the entry: Filippo Camerota

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