ancient astrological inscription

[marc2]

Hello everybody,
can anybody please help with this inscription from a bronze astronomical globe? It is supposed to be Persian, but could also be Arabic.
How does it read and what does it mean?

circle.jpg

[הענט]

The first letter is ž, so it's probably Persian, but I can't quite read it.

[eskandar]

Actually the first letter is ث so it could be either Arabic or Persian. The word is ثور (which is shared by both languages) and means "Taurus" which makes sense given the astronomical context. Above it is the numeral 2.

[הענט]

Good job.

[marc2]

Thank you, Eskandar!
“2 Taurus” makes a lot of sense, since Taurus is the second sign in the zodiac (after Aries). I don't remember ever seeing Taurus represented as a circle: very interesting!

Here is a link to a picture of the entire globe:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/301202/8456560964

I attach another detail containing a circle (in the leftmost square). Is there anything you can make out of it?
Any ideas on the meaning of the two signs looking somehow like a heart in the first and third squares?
Thank you again for helping!

[eskandar]

This is a little harder to read due to the angle, any chance you could post a better (larger/closer) picture? It looks like the leftmost square reads اسد (Leo) and the heart shape above it is the number 5. It's most likely a 5 in the third square as well but I need a bit of a better image to be sure as it could also be part of the word there which I can't quite make out.

[marc2]

Hello Eskandar,
unluckily I only have the image I previously linked:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/301202/8456560964
It is rather blurred, so it is impossible to get something perfectly readable.

I have tried to image process a better version of the previous detail. I am pretty sure that you are right about the "heart" symbol being 5.
Thank you again for your help!

[eskandar]

I'm pretty sure the symbol in question in the rightmost square is a 5. I'm just curious about the other words in that square which I can't quite decipher other than پل (bridge). The middle square seems to read خانهٔ شمس 'house of the sun' which I believe is an astronomical term but I don't know what it refers to specifically.

If you need more information you might have better luck asking at Wordreference.

[marc2]

Thank you, Eskandar.
I don't think I need more information at the moment. You made the basic structure of the globe clear:
five "slices" are visible on the globe; you read the second as "2 Twr / Taurus" and the fifth as "5 As(a)d / Leo". This of course is consistent with the ordering of the zodiac.
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/inde ... 406AA8MlPQ
1. Hamil (Aries) الحمل
2. Thor (Taurus) الثور
3. Jawzaa (Gemini) الجوزاء
4. Saratan (Cancer) السرطان
5. Asad (Leo) الاسد
6. Athraa (Virgo) العذراء
7. Meezan (Libra) الميزان
8. Aqrab (Scorpio) العقرب
9. Kaws (Sagittarius) القوس
10. Jadi (Capricorn) الجدي
11. Daloo (Aquarius) الدلو
12. Hoot (Pisces) الحوت

The five signs visible on the globe should be the first five:
1. Aries
2. Taurus
3. Gemini
4. Cancer
5. Leo

I think I can read "3 Jwza" here:

3.JPG

Thank you very much for your help!
I think I will post these ideas based on your suggestions on
http://stephenbax.net/?p=1128#comment-150344