Ismail al-Jazari: The Elephant Clock (1315)

(Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA)

An illuminated page made by an unknown Syrian artist. This page comes from a copy of "Book of the Knowledge of Ingenious Mechanical Devices", originally written by Ismail al-Jazari (1136-1206). The book contains 100 mechanical devices, some 80 of which are trick vessels of various kinds, along with instructions on how to construct them. Devices which he describes in the book includes machines for raising water, several devices driven by water power such as Musical robot band, a drink-serving waitress, a washing automaton with flush mechanism, a Peacock fountain with automated servants, an automated door and several clocks. This famous pictures shows a weight powered water clock in the shape of an Asian elephant. Every half hour, the bird on the dome whistled; a ball is dropped into the dragon’s mouth and the mahout hit's the elephant with his goad. Page from 1315.