Timbuktu's Astrolabe Maker: Ahmad al-Wangari's Sky

In the fifteenth century, a scholar named Ahmad al-Wangari crafted an astrolabe in Timbuktu that survived to modern times. This episode traces his life, his travels from Walata to the Niger bend, and his scientific work at Sankore madrasa. We look at how he adapted the Islamic astrolabe to Sahelian skies, what his instrument reveals about trade in knowledge across the Sahara, and why his name appears in the Fondo Kati archive. Through his story, we see Timbuktu not as a remote outpost but as a node in a cosmopolitan network linking Cairo, Fez, and Granada. Al-Wangari's astrolabe, now in Bamako, offers a rare tangible link to the golden age of Sahelian science. We explore the debates around his origins, the accuracy of his instruments, and what his work meant for astronomy and timekeeping in the region. Join Lucas and Luna as they uncover the life of a man who measured the stars above the desert. #Timbuktu #AhmadAlWangari #Astrolabe #Sankore #Sahel #IslamicAstronomy #FondoKati #Walata #NigerBend #FexingoHistory #MedievalScience #WestAfrica #History #Astronomy #Manuscripts #Scholarship #Sahara #Mali Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo