Objekt 12
Shadow stick
Description
The octagonal wooden stick with iron tip has four through holes in the upper part. In one of these four holes, depending on the respective month, a long nail is inserted at right angles as a shadow caster. On the eight faces, a different number of hours are carved in Sanskrit characters. Above the nail, the months are carved in Sanskrit as well as written in ink in English. The shadow stick is the simplest form of a sundial.
Object description
India, probably 19th c.
Wood, carved, inscribed with ink, iron (leather strap and nail replaced)
Bequest Carl and Lini Nathan-Rupp, Binningen
Inv. 1982.1242.