Rare 16th-Century Astrolabe Returns Home to the Isles of Scilly

A rare 16th-century navigational instrument with a remarkable history has finally returned home to the Isles of Scilly - decades after being discovered and lost to the tides of time.

The Pednathise Head Astrolabe, dated 1568, was originally recovered by local divers in the late 1980s from a wreck site near Pednathise Head. Once believed lost, the astrolabe’s extraordinary journey has taken it across three continents, through private collections and museum vaults, before making its way back to the islands where it was first found.

Used by early explorers to measure the altitude of the sun or stars to determine latitude, mariners’ astrolabes are among the rarest of navigational tools - only about 120 are known to survive worldwide.

After its recovery, the astrolabe disappeared into private hands, eventually surfacing in Australia within the collection of a disgraced magistrate. From there, it passed through the collection of an antique dealer, a New Jersey car salesman, and ultimately the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Florida, where it was donated for a tax deduction.

It was through the research of Jim Jobling, of the Nautical Archaeology Program at Texas A&M University, that the instrument’s true identity was rediscovered. Misidentified for years as the Nassau Astrolabe, Jobling’s work - and the recollections of one of the original divers - confirmed it was in fact the long-lost Pednathise Head Astrolabe.

Recognising its Scillonian origins, the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum contacted the Isles of Scilly Museum Association and generously agreed to return the artefact to the Isles of Scilly.

Now safely back on the islands, the astrolabe has been examined by metals conservator Laura Ratcliffe after a period of temporary safekeeping at the National Maritime Museum in Falmouth.

It will soon take pride of place as the centrepiece of the navigation case in the Isles of Scilly Museum’s new maritime gallery, set to open next year.

Xavier Duffy, Curator of the Isles of Scilly Museum said: “We’re thrilled to have this rare example of a mariner’s astrolabe back on the Isles of Scilly and in the care of the museum. It’s the object’s remarkable journey and unlikely return that makes it truly special. We can’t wait to share its story with visitors when the new museum opens in Autumn 2026.”

The museum expressed gratitude to all who contributed to the rediscovery and repatriation of the artefact, including Jim Jobling, the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum, and the National Maritime Museum in Falmouth.

The return of the Pednathise Head Astrolabe brings a captivating chapter of maritime history full circle - reuniting Scilly with a rare and scientifically significant relic of its seafaring past.