9. Let us return to the 'needles' and 'bulbs'. According to Posnansky there was a kind of astronomical instrument, a 'topo', as he calls it, which was used in order to exactly define the positions in the sky:
This 'astronomer's desk', conveniently high for the topos to be on the same level as the eye of the astronomer, had a square horizontal upper end with holes in it, and in these holes were placed vertical pins with oval 'heads', by means of which the sightings were done. Maybe the 'needles and bulbs' of our example text depict this type of sighting instrument:
|