This cast armillary sundial from France will make a grand statement in any garden. Invented by the Greeks in the third century BC, the original armillary spheres were earth-centric, which is how the Greeks believed the universe functioned. Over the centuries, armillary spheres have been altered to reflect scientific advancements.
The brass armillary has an arrow-shaped gnomon that runs through the center of a three-quarter sphere formed by two rings. Embossed on the interior of the equinoctial, or celestial equator, ring is a series of Roman numerals. On the left side, the numerals begin with “III” progressing up to “XII”, which appears at the center of the ring. To the right of “XII”, the numbers reset with “I” and advance to “IX”. As the sun moves across the sky, the gnomon casts a shadow on the numerals, indicating the time of day. The base of the sphere is affixed to the top of a ball finial that sits on a square plinth.
A large pedestal with concave sides offers stability and support for the armillary. The entire column has been cast as one piece and is adorned with volute scrolls and foliate cartouches. A thick square base with one layer of molding provides a nice juxtaposition to the shapely stand above. Our cast armillary pedestal...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Sundials
MaterialsStone, Cast Stone, Iron