Adam's The Irish Library Wednesday 17th April 2019

118 148 A FINE LARGE 19TH CENTURY IRISH SLATE OC TAGONAL SUNDIAL, DATED 1835, with wrought iron gnomon and profusely engraved with geographical compilations, the southern point of the plate engraved with inscription: ‘Anno MDCCCXXXV. Domini. Horizontal Sun Dial Mathemati- cally Calculated for North Lat. Deg. Minats. Longitude Degrees Minutes. The Mariners Compass the twelve 6LJQV DQG WKH 3ULPDU\ 3ODQHWV 5HFWLȴHGȇ 58cm diameter € 2,000 - 3,000 147 A 19TH CENTURY CARVED STONE CELTIC PATTERN CROSS, mounted. 81cm tall € 1,000 - 1,500 0DQ ȴUVW OHDUQHG DERXW WLPH ZDWFKLQJ WKH VXQ ULVH DQG set. The earliest examples of sundials in Ireland were discovered at Early Irish monastic settlement sites where it is thought they were used to regulate times of prayer. By the 18th and 19th Centuries sundials had advanced VR VLJQLȴFDQWO\ WKDW GLDOV ZHUH EHLQJ SURGXFHG IRU VSH - FLȴF ORFDWLRQV %DVHG RQ PDWKHPDWLFDO FDOFXODWLRQV these dials told time for every day of the year in min- utes and seconds. As can be seen from this Irish example, the outer bor- der of plate is engraved with a chapter ring containing Roman numerals denoting the twelve hours and the names of various foreign cities. This ring encloses sev- eral slender bands of further engravings denoting the months of the year, minutes and seconds, signs of the Zodiac, as well as an inscription declaring the superior- ity of a sun dial over a pendulum watch or clock. The dial is set with a wrought-iron gnomon which casts its shadow on the plate to indicate time. Beneath the gnomon the plate is centered by a compass rose and surrounded by Irish towns and cities positioned in their relevant coordinates.