French Sun Dial

[chainsaw]

I dug this item several years ago and consider this one of my best relics to date. Definately the most interesting. I think I will go back to the site again to hunt for the other half.

[done dug it all up]

thats incredible! what is the translation of the inscription?

[BobinSouthVA]

Wow that is really beautiful. congrats

[chainsaw]

thats incredible! what is the translation of the inscription?

My french is not that good... Maybe some one here can take a stabb at intepertation..

[done dug it all up]

thats incredible! what is the translation of the inscription?

My french is not that good... Maybe some one here can take a stabb at intepertation..

I would--but it doesn't look like any French I've ever seen. Looks more like Latin to me. I'm familiar with Old French too, and I have no earthly idea what it says.

[Wayne1947]

Hi Chainsaw.... Wow.. what a find. This is your lucky day. I design and carve sundials in stone (www.garden-sundial.com) and have a lot of reference materials on sundials. WHERE DID YOU FIND THIS!!!! It is extremely rare and in all liklihood owned by a very important individual, possibly an early explorer! By all means go back and find the rest of it!

It is a pocket folding sundial designed by Jean Baptiste Nicolas Delure (1695-1736). He was the sundial maker for Louis the XIV, commissioned by the king in 1705! The circular hole contained a compass. The dial face has multiple scales and the sytle was adjustable to be accurate in many cities. The city locations were always inscribed on the reverse side with the degrees next to the inscription as yours has.

I have an expert associate in France and I will forward him a photo copy of your find. I'm sure he will have a lot to say about it. As I said before, I'd like to know about where you found this.

[Wayne1947]

You may try rubbing the surfaces with a little white chalk dust then wipe it off. It should leave the dust in the letters and make reading the sundial a lot easier. Try taking a photo of the reverse side to see if the location names appear more clear with chalk dust in the letters.

For instance, Montreat 45 is in fact Montreal 45 degrees north. S fa Fes is probably Sta Fe or Santa Fe 31 degrees north. Santa Fe is at 35.5 deg N. The margin of error is acceptable as the early maps of New France were badly in error. The place names on the reverse side are most likely all New World locations in old French, Indian, English and Spanish.

[relic lover]

freaking awsome!

[allen]

definetily a great looking find !!1