Recreation of the Timekeeping Device of the Rokniyeh School in Yazd

Shahabinejad , Ali; Lookzadeh , Hadi

doi:10.66224/kcr.8.1.47

Danesh

Hefazat va Maremat

EN FA

Volume 8, Issue 1 (6-2025) KCR 2025, 8(1): 47-63 | Back to browse issues page

‎ 10.66224/kcr.8.1.47

Mendeley

Zotero

RefWorks

Shahabinejad A, Lookzadeh H. Recreation of the Timekeeping Device of the Rokniyeh School in Yazd. KCR 2025; 8 (1) :47-63
URL: http://journal.richt.ir/kcr/article-1-278-en.html

Recreation of the Timekeeping Device of the Rokniyeh School in Yazd

Ali Shahabinejad ^*

, Hadi Lookzadeh

Abstract: (2275 Views)

The timekeeping device of the Rokniyeh school complex, known as Rasad-e-vaght o saat, was built in 725 AH in the current vicinity of the Vaght-o-saat square in Yazd, at the request of Sayyed Rukn al-Din. This mechanical device was a type of tower for determining time (annual calendar) and hours (daily timekeeping) based on the gravity energy of water fluid, and it is considered a significant achievement in the history of science and technology in Iran. Although this device existed until the Timurid era and during the compilation of two important local Yazd historical books, History of Yazd and new History of Yazd, after this period, the Rokniyeh complex and its famous Rasad declined, and no trace of it has remained from the Safavid era to the present day. However, what the local history books of Yazd describe about this building indicates the grandeur, complexity, and notable technical details of this device for displaying times and hours. With regard to the importance of this device, numerous researchers have referred to it in their studies, but this device had not been recreated until now, and no image or document of its appearance and functional components had been prepared. For this reason, in 2022, the project for the recreation of this device was undertaken with the support of the Yazd Regional Water Company, and it was completed in 2024 through the joint cooperation of Mazdabad Company and Yazd University. In the recreation of this device, for the first time, the overall appearance of the device along with all its main functional elements was recreated, and the operational mechanism of each component of the clock for displaying times and hours, including the wooden wheel, day and night hour houses, the ball and cymbal and pot mechanism, the minaret of metal sign, and the rooster minaret, has been shown. In addition, a small-scale replica of this device, capable of displaying all the main functions of the clock in accordance with its historical mechanism, has been built and is displayed at the Yazd Water Museum. This article present a description of the research process and the recreation of the device, along with explanations of the functioning of the chronological elements in this clock, while also introducing the historical documentation of the research.

Keywords: Rokniyeh School, Yazd, Recreation, Water Clock, Timekeeping Device, Rasad-e-vaght-o-saat, Chronology.

Full-Text [PDF 1789 kb] (789 Downloads)

Type of Study: Research, Original, Regular | Subject: Executive reports on the conservation and restoration of objects in collections, museums, sites,
Accepted: 2025/06/21 | Published: 2025/06/21

References

1. Abuei Mehrizi. (2012). Cultural History of Yazd in the Time of Shah Abbas II and Shah Suleiman Safavi, Tehran: Dr. Mahmoud Afshar Publications. (In Persian)

2. Smith, John Mason et al. (1987). Socio-Economic History of Iran in the Mongol Period, translated by Yaqoob Ajhand, Tehran, Etelaat Publications. (In Persian)

3. Afshar, Iraj. (1995). Enduring Works of Yazd. Tehran. The Society for the Appreciation of Cultural Works and Dignitaries.. Yazd Book House. (In Persian)

4. Arthur, Pope and Phyllis Ackerman. (2008). A Journey through Iranian Art from Prehistory to the Present, Tehran: Scientific and Cultural Publishing Company. (In Persian)

5. Ayati, Abdolhossein. (1938). History of Yazd. Yazd: Golbahar Yazd .(In Persian)

6. Bastani Parizi, Mohammad Ebrahim. (1402). Jame-ul-Muqadamat. Tehran: Nashre-e-Elm. (In Persian)

7. Tashahkori Bafghi, Ali Akbar. (1401). History of the city and urbanization in Yazd from the Atabakan to the Khavanin, Yazd: Sadoughi Culture House. (In Persian)

8. Jafari, Jafar bin Muhammad. (1959). History of Yazd. With the help of Iraj Afshar. Tehran: Book Translation and Publishing Company. (In Persian)

9. Haji Shabani, Mohammad. (1998). The necessity of reconstructing Yazd’s clock and timekeeping device. Yazd Culture Quarterly. Volume 1 (1): 106-112 (In Persian) )https://www.magiran.com/paper/6014/%d8%b6%d8%b1%d9%88%d8%b1%d8%aa-%d8%a8%d8%a7%d8%b2%d8%b3%d8%a7%d8%b2%db%8c-%d9%88%d9%82%d8%aa-%d9%88-%d8%b3%d8%a7%d8%b9%d8%aa-%db%8c%d8%b2%d8%af(

10. Habibi Ghaeni Bayigi, Maryam. (2009). Timekeeping and Clocks with a Look at the Astan Quds Razavi Museum. Electronic Publication of the Organization of Libraries, Museums and Documentation Center of .Astan Quds Razavi. Volume 1(4): 1-28 (In Persian) (https://shamseh.aqr-libjournal.ir/article_49985.html)

11. Khademzadeh, Mohammad Hassan. (2009). Historical Neighborhoods of Yazd City. Translated into English by Zuhair Mottaki. Tehran: Sobhan Noor. (In Persian)

12. Shams-al-Dini, Payam. (2018). Automaton; A Royal Toy. Mehr Parseh (Persian Studies Monthly). 14(22): 30-35 (In Persian) (https://www.jaaar.com/kiosk/archives/mehreparseh#&gid=1&pid=7)

13. Shahabinejad, Ali and Lookzadeh, Hadi. (1403 AH), Recognition of the Timekeeping Device of the Yazd Rokniyeh complex based on the text of the Waqf-nameh Jame'-ol-Khairat, Athar Journal, 45 (105): 61-84. (In Persian)https://doi.org/10.22034/45.105.3

14. Shahabinejad, Ali and Lokzadeh, Hadi. (1403 B), Modeling and Recreating the Timekeeping Device of the Rokniyeh School of Yazd in the Eighth Century, Research Project, Client: Yazd Regional Water Company, Implementer: Yazd University (In Persian)

15. Shahabinejad, Ali and Lokzadeh, Hadi. (1402), Study and Reconstruction of the Timekeeping Device of the Rokniyeh School of Yazd in the Eighth Century, Study Project, Client: Yazd Regional Water Company, Implementer: Sepehr Technology Company, Mazdabad, Kianshahr. (In Persian)

16. Taheri, Ahmad. (1938). History of Yazd, Golbahar publication. (In Persian)

17. Erfanfar, Mohammad Javad. (2008). List of Iranian Endowment Documents, Yazd: Arshian Publications. (In Persian)

18. Alamdari, Mina. (2012). Content Analysis of Jame' al-Khairat (Deed of endowment of Sayyed Rokn al-Din and Sayyed Shams al-Din), Master's Thesis in Iranology, Supervisor: Mohammad Reza Rahmati, Yazd University. (In Persian)

19. Farshad, Mehdi. (1986). History of Science in Iran, Tehran, Amirkabir Publications. (In Persian)

20. Kateb Yazdi, Ahmad bin Hussein. (2007). New History of Yazd. With the help of Iraj Afshar. Tehran: Amir Kabir. (In Persian)

21. Karimzadeh Tabrizi, Mohammad Ali. (1984). The Lives and Works of the Old Iranian Painters and Some Famous Indian and Ottoman Painters, Volume One, London Edition. (In Persian)

22. Karimian Sardashti, Nader. (1990). Biography of the founder of Yazd timekeeping Device. Yazd Culture Quarterly. No. 6-7: 47-49. (In Persian) (https://www.magiran.com/paper/1221150/%d8%b4%d8%b1%d8%ad-%d8%ad%d8%a7%d9%84-%d8%b3%d8%a7%d8%b2%d9%86%d8%af%d9%87-%d8%b1%d8%b5%d8%af-%d9%88%d9%82%d8%aa-%d9%88-%d8%b3%d8%a7%d8%b9%d8%aa-%db%8c%d8%b2%d8%af)

23. Karimian Sardashti, Nader. (2017). History of Chronometry and the Watchmaking Industry. Tehran: Amirkabir. (In Persian)

24. Lookzah, Hadi and Shahabinejad, Ali. (1402). The water Clock of the Rokniyeh School of Yazd in the Eighth Century AH, Iranian Physics Conference 1402, Paper No.: 358: 1161-1164. (In Persian) (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/394223113_The_Water_Clock_of_ Rokniyeh _School_in_Yazd_in_the_eighth_AH_century)

25. Mostofi Bafqi, Mohammad Mufid ibn Mahmoud. (2006). Jame Mufid. With the help of Iraj Afshar. Tehran: Asatir. (In Persian)

26. Mirzaei, Masoud and Mirzaei, Niki. (1401). A Visualization of the Rokniyeh School of Yazd in the Eighth to Ninth Centuries AH, Journal of the Yazd Medical Sciences Education Studies and Development Center, 17 (4): 291-305. (In Persian) (https://www.magiran.com/paper/2561121/%d8%aa%d8%ac%d8%b3%d9%85%db%8c-%d8%a7%d8%b2-%d9%85%d8%af%d8%b1%d8%b3%d9%87-%d8%b1%da%a9%d9%86%db%8c%d9%87-%db%8c%d8%b2%d8%af-%d8%af%d8%b1-%d9%82%d8%b1%d9%88%d9%86-%d9%87%d8%b4%d8%aa%d9%85-%d8%aa%d8%a7-%d9%86%d9%87%d9%85-%d9%87%d8%ac%d8%b1%db%8c)

27. Nourbakhsh, Mohammad Reza. (1987). Mechanical Clocks in Iran, Ayandeh Journal, 13 (6 and 7): 395-407. (In Persian) (https://ensani.ir/fa/article?ArticleSearch%5Btitle%5D=%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AA-%D9%85%DA%A9%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C%DA%A9%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-&ArticleSearch%5BsortBy%5D=relevance)

28. Nayyar Nouri, Hamid. (1966). Iran's Contribution to World Civilization, National Iranian Oil Company Publications. (In Persian)

29. Wilber, Donald. (1967). Islamic Architecture of Iran during the Ilkhanate Period, translated by Abdullah Faryar, Tehran: Book Translation and Publishing Company. (In Persian)

30. Yazdi, Manouchehr. (1972). The Appearance of Yazd in the First Decade of the Revolution, from the Publications of the Governor General of Yazd, Kayhan Press. (In Persian)

31. Blake, stephen p, 2013, Time in early modern islam, Cambridge University Press.

32. Yarshater, E. (1992). Encyclopedia Iranica, clocks, (Vol. V, Fasc. 7, pp. 713-718), Encyclopaedia Iranica Foundation.

Rights and permissions
	This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.