Topbar Multimedia Catalogue Thematic Visits
Catalogue >  Thematic Visits > Measuring space
Instruments of the art of warfare
 presentation
videoVideo Presentation:
arrowWindows Media | arrowQT Lo | arrowQT Hi

In the Renaissance, the art of warfare became one of the main fields of application of mathematical sciences. The advent of firearms stimulated the development of a new science, ballistics, which consisted in the geometrical analysis of the relationship between the angle of the gun, the weight of the projectile, and the range. Some instruments, such as the bombardier's square, plumb rules, proportional compasses, and calipers, were standard kit for gunners. Other instruments, such as the radio latino, the a rchimetro, and the altazimuth square, were used instead to measure distances, the profiles of ramparts, and the layout of fortresses. Special goniometers were devised to prepare plans for fortresses with curved profiles that would avert or deflect the impact of projectiles.

 
.................................
"Radio latino" (Inv. 647) "Radio latino" (Inv. 3678) "Radio latino" (Inv. 618) Archimetro (Inv. 629)
Military rule (Inv. 657) Military rule (Inv. 658) Ruler and graduated case (Inv. 694) Gunner's quadrant (Inv. 659)
Ruler (Inv. 1322, 3683) Proportional compasses (Inv. 3685) Proportional compasses (Inv. 650) Military compass (Inv. 1277)
Gunner's sight and level (Inv. 3689) Gunner's sight and level (Inv. 670) Gunner's sight and level (Inv. 2531) Plumb level (Inv. 3690)
Plumb level (Inv. 654) Military compass (Inv. 3692) Gunner's quadrant (Inv. 1303) Gunner's quadrant (Inv. 1485)
Ramrods (Inv. 631, 632) Gunner's caliper (Inv. 699) Gunner's caliper (Inv. 695) Caliper compass (Inv. 3693)
Caliper compass (Inv. 652, 3706) Case of military instruments (Inv. 620) Gunner's rule (Inv. 2517) Proportional and surveying compasses (Inv. 2510)
Gunner's level (Inv. 669, 2539) Quadrant (Inv. 1495, 2465) Triangulation instrument (Inv. 645) Folding rule (Inv. 2540)
Proportional compasses (Inv. 2512) Proportional compasses (Inv. 3647) Proportional compasses (Inv. 3676) Plumb level (gunner's level) and proportional compasses (Inv. 3695)
Gunner's calliper (Inv. 3176) "Radio latino" (Inv. 619) Four-point proportional compasses (Inv. 3567) Geometric and military compass (Inv. 3540)
Proportional compasses (Dep. GN, Roma) Military instrument (Inv. 682) Dividers (Inv. 2515)        
  © 1995-2010 IMSS  Piazza dei Giudici 1  50122 Florence   ITALY