Copy of a bloodletting measuring device, England, 1977
The model is a copy of a bloodletting measuring device described in the Book of Knowledge and Ingenious Mechanical Devices by Al-Jazari (1204-1206). Two scribes sit on top of a platform where the blood from the patient flows into the basin. The scribes record the amount of blood collected. Little is known about the life of Al-Jazari, also known as Ismail Ibn al-Razzaz Al-Jazari, apart from the fact that he was an engineer and inventor from Mesopotamia (modern day Iran and Iraq). This model was made for the Festival of Islam exhibition at the Science Museum in 1977.
Object number:
1981-1710
Related Themes and Topics
Glossary:
Glossary: model - representation
Use for a scaled representation of an object or structure, usually three-dimensional. The item is often idealised or modified to make it conceptually easier to understand.