Nimrod Lens

[ummia-inim-gina]

I was wondering if any of you know where I could access on-line any information covering the debate over the function of the "Nimrod Lens"? Any help would be appreciated?

[us4-he2-gal2]

I.O.U one trip to library

sorry for delay.

p.s. Mail me if I delay further.

p.p.s Might need to fix your mail??

[us4-he2-gal2]

Enlil:

I had not much luck using the JSTOR Journal storage page, however a google brought up a page from the old ANE mailing list discussion which you may have noted already. I've copied some excerpts below:

oi.uchicago.edu/research/library/ane/digest/v03/v03.n086

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Has there been any findings relating to optics in ancient mesopotamia
other than the Nimrod lens?
Information relating to optometry would be very useful also.

Firas Jatou

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I know Kepler believed the Babylonians had a lens (is this the Nimrod
lens to
which you refer), but in conversations with Asger Aaboe, the latter believed
that lenses were not ground until Roman times. Otherwise, I would assume
Mesopotamian diagnostic texts (medical omen literature), would talk about eye
problems. Also, Egyptian papyri dealt with eye problems and my hunch is the
Egyptians did a better job.

Karen Nemet-Nejat

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In a 1974 JNES article on micro-written medical texts, Miguel Civil suggested
that they could look through long hollow reeds and get a magnification
effect.

p.daniels

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A drop of water held in a twist of wire (or other object with a small
hole suitable for holding a drop of water) will also produce
magnification, although with a small field and short focal length -- a bit
of technology available to everyone.

Robert M. Whiting

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[oth the hollow reed and drop of water on a twist of water for magnification
would certainly explain why we have no physical evidence. One problem in
identifying ancient technology is survival---clearly applicable to a hollow
reed. Another problem in identifying ancient technology is sometimes its
simplicity. If a piece of wire were found, we would not necessarily identify
it with magnification.

Very stimulating discussion. I think investigating the Greek material would
prove interesting.

Karen R. Nemet-Nejat

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There have been (as you know) these parallel duscussions on ANE and
Aegenaet relating to optics, to which you've contributed. Is there any
chance that you could (easily, simply, without effort) gather the traffic
from Aegeanet for one (at least) correspondent who does not lurk there, but
is interested in the subject? I could also gather the ANE traffic if you
think itmight all be worth archiving as a productive thread.
The aegean-folk might particularly be interested in those two postings
(Daniels and Whiting) on 'ephemeral lenses' (reed and drop of water) both
work - I've tried it!
- -Chuck-

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I will keep looking for stuff that touchs directly on the Nimrod lens - also will have a look at Civils JNES article cited about.

P.S. Where are you reading of this debate?

[ummia-inim-gina]

Thanks for the response, I had not seen this and it will help me in my searching. All I can find online about the Nimrod lens is brief descriptions of the lens and then it always references that there is debate as to whether to was used as a lens or whether it was just a piece of jewelry. I can't find any real information about his debate anywhere.
It would seem to me that even if it was originally made to be just a piece of jewelry, I don't think it would take them very long to come up with a function for it.
I have read where it has been suggested that it was used as a lens for the worlds first telescope. This explaining how the Assyrians would have been able to identify the rings around Saturn for instance. Another idea I have come across is the lens could have been used to aid the vision of an old scribes failing vision when reading cuneiform. What do you think?




I’m wondering in particular, why its presumed to be purely decorative, when it clearly works as a lens?