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Secondary sourceArtifact1903

Dioptra

H. Schöne · 1903

A 1903 line drawing reconstructing the dioptra, the surveying instrument Hero of Alexandria described for measuring angles and distances.

This 1903 reconstruction illustrates the dioptra, the surveying instrument Hero described and used for his calculations.

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Line drawing of a dioptra, a surveying instrument on a tripod stand. It has a circular graduated disc at the top, two small sighting plates or vanes, and a central pivoting arm with a toothed arc and clamping screws.
H. Schöne, reconstruction drawing of Hero's dioptra, 1903. Leipzig: B. G. Teubner.

About this source

What it is

This is a line drawing made in 1903 by H. Schöne, published in Leipzig, showing a reconstruction of a dioptra — an ancient surveying instrument. It has a graduated disc, sighting plates, and a pivoting arm with a toothed arc and clamping screws, mounted on a tripod.

Why it matters

Hero of Alexandria wrote a treatise describing the dioptra and how to use it for surveying, levelling and even calculating eclipses. No original instrument survives, so this drawing is a modern scholar's attempt to reconstruct what Hero's device may have looked like based on his written descriptions.

Look closer

  • Why might scholars need to reconstruct ancient instruments from text alone?
  • What parts of the drawing suggest precision measurement?
  • What might this tell us about Hero's skills as an engineer, not just a mathematician?

This artifact is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Hero of Alexandria on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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