Al-ʻIjliyyah

Al-ʻIjliyyah bint al-ʻIjliyy (Arabic: العجلية بنت العجلي)[1] was a 10th-century maker of astrolabes active in Aleppo, in what is now northern Syria.[2][3]

She is sometimes known in modern popular literature as Mariam al-Asṭurlābiyya (Arabic: مريم الأسطرلابية) but her supposed first name 'Mariam' is not mentioned in the only known source about her life.

Life

According to ibn al-Nadim, she was the daughter of another astrolabe maker known as al-ʻIjliyy;[3] she and her father were apprentices (tilmīthah) of an astrolabe maker from Baghdad, Nasṭūlus.[3]

Al-ʻIjliyyah manufactured astrolabes, an astronomical instrument, during the 10th century;[1][4] she was employed by the first Emir of Aleppo, Sayf al-Dawla, who reigned from 944 to 967.[3][1]

Beyond that information, nothing is known about her. Her supposed name, "Mariam", is not supported by sources from her time, and the phrase "al-Asturlabiyy" in the names by which she and her father are known simply means "the astrolabist", and indicates their profession; astrolabes were long known by her time.

Legacy

The main-belt asteroid 7060 Al-ʻIjliya, discovered by Henry E. Holt at Palomar Observatory in 1990, was named in her honor.[2] The naming citation was published on 14 November 2016 (M.P.C. 102252).[5]

She inspired a character in the 2015 award-winning book Binti and Netflix series Vikings: Valhalla.[6][7] She was named an extraordinary woman from the Islamic Golden Age by 1001 Inventions.[8]

See also

References
  1. Salim Al-Hassani. "Women's Contribution to Classical Islamic Civilisation: Science, Medicine and Politics". Archived from the original on 2016-07-27. Retrieved 2016-08-15.
  2. "7060 Al-'Ijliya (1990 SF11)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  3. Dodge, Bayard (1970). The Fihrist of Al-Nadīm: A Tenth-century Survey of Muslim Culture. Columbia University Press. p. 671. ISBN 978-0-231-02925-4. al-ʿIjlī al-Aṣṭurlabī, an apprentice of Betulus; al-ʿIjlīyah, his daughter, a pupil of Betulus, who was with Sayf al-Dawlah.
  4. "How astronomers and instrument-makers in Muslim civilisations expanded our knowledge of the universe | Muslim Women's Council". www.muslimwomenscouncil.org.uk. Archived from the original on 2016-08-13. Retrieved 2016-08-12.
  5. "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  6. Emmet Asher-Perrin (2016-06-02). "The Inspiration for Nnedi Okorafor's Binti is a Muslim Scientist From the 10th Century". Tor.com. Retrieved 2018-11-18.
  7. Tyler, Adrienne (2023-01-17). "The True Story Behind Hayat Kamille's Mariam in Vikings: Valhalla". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2023-04-23.
  8. "Extraordinary Women from the Golden Age of Muslim Civilisation". 1001 Inventions. Archived from the original on 2019-03-10. Retrieved 2018-11-18.
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