MS M.785, fol. 32v

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Abū Maʻshar
-886

Astrological treatises

Bruges, Belgium
early 15th century, in or before 1403
254 x 175 mm

Purchased in 1935

MS M.785
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Third Decanus of Pisces in three zones:
1) Sphaera Persica:
Hindquarters of bull, inscribed POSTREMUM TAUROCERUI (Astrological Sign: Cervotaurus); scorpion tail, inscribed SCORPIONIS (Constellation: Scorpio); crocodile tail, inscribed FINIS COCDRILLI (Constellation: Draco); animal tail, inscribed COLUBRI FERI (Constellation: Serpens); man, inscribed FERBUDULUS INTER MANUS SUAS RESIDENS (sic), seated with arms around legs, looking over left shoulder (Astrological Sign: unidentified).
2) Sphaera Indica:
Bearded woman (?), inscribed VIR PORRECTIS PEDIBUS MASCULIS PRAEGNANS IN VTERO ETHIOPEM HOMINIS (sic), seated on bench, gesturing with right hand toward hooded man (Astrological Sign: Woman); two men, holding spears, one with open mouth, looking toward man with fire in hands beside castle, inscribed IN RUPE STARIS VOCIFERANS PREMETU PRAE DOMIS ET IGNIS (sic) (Astrological Sign: unidentified).
3) Sphaera Graeca:
Back of chair or throne, inscribed POSTREMUM SOLII (Constellation: Cassiopeia ?); shoulder of Andromeda, inscribed PECTUS ANDROMADE IN EST MULIERIS QUE NON VIDIT VIRUM (Constellation: Andromeda); fringed cloth, inscribed PARS FIMBRII LINEI (Astrological Sign: unidentified); whale tail, inscribed FINIS CETI (Constellation: Cetus).

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Photography by Pixel Acuity, 2021