Changes: Alethiometer

Revision as of 19:50, 22 January 2020

"It was very like a clock, or a compass, for there were hands pointing to places around the dial, but instead of the hours or the points of the compass there were several little pictures, each of them painted with the finest and slenderest sable brush."

—Description of the alethiometer^[src]

The alethiometer, nicknamed the symbol-reader, was a compass-like device that was used to communicate with Dust and find truthful answers to one's questions. Only six alethiometers were ever made.^[1]

Etymology

The name of the object comes from the Greek aletheia (truth) and meter (measure).

History

The alethiometer was invented by Pavel Khunrath in Prague in the 17th century. It was intended to be used for astrological purposes, such as measuring the influences of the planets.^[2] The experimental theologian discovered that an alloy of two particular rare metals could be used to create a needle that pointed towards the truth. The first alethiometer consisted of this needle suspended over a celestial chart showing the signs of the zodiac, with Khunrath asking questions and receiving responses.

Khunrath later improved the alethiometer by using symbols from the memory-theatre to give himself a wider array of icons to draw upon. As his research went on, he realised that the meanings of the symbols already existed and that he discovered them rather than inventing them.

When Emperor Rudolf II died in 1612 and Emperor Frederick succeeded him, research deemed occult was outlawed. Khunrath was burnt at the stake for heresy in the name of the Magisterium, but some of his instruments and notes survived. Scholars in more tolerant countries continued his work, naming his device the alethiometer.^[3]

Reading

Reading an alethiometer required particular skill, training, and a lot of studying and reading. Although Lyra Silvertongue was able to do so intuitively in her youth, after puberty she had to relearn how to do it. Most scholars made use of reference books in order to decipher the meanings of the alethiometer's 36 symbols. The Bodleian Library in Oxford had such literature.^[4]^[5]

To read the alethiometer, the user first directed three needles to lie over certain symbols on the face of device to create a question. Then, the user held this question in their mind, without grasping at the answer, but being content not to know. At this point, the fourth needle swung into action, moving from one symbol to another to create the answer.

After Lyra's voyage to other worlds, Olivier Bonneville, who worked for the Magisterium, came up with a new method of reading it which involved pointing all three needles to a particular symbol before relaxing and floating away, watching what went on. This new method was much discussed among scholars however could make the user feel sick and, in many cases, be sick.^[6]

Alethiometrists

Lyra holding the alethiometer — Lyra being handed the alethiometer

A person who was capable of reading an alethiometer was known as an alethiometrist. Known alethiometrists are:

Dr Carne^[5]
Teukros Basilides
Gerard Bonneville
Olivier Bonneville
Lyra Silvertongue
Pavel Khunrath
Pavel Rasek
Hannah Relf

Known alethiometers

As of 1986, Oakley Street knew of five alethiometers:

The Bodleian alethiometer, in Oxford
The Bologna alethiometer, later in the possession of Hannah Relf
The Geneva alethiometer
The Paris alethiometer
The Uppsala alethiometer

At that time, Oakley Street knew only rumours of the sixth alethiometer.^[7] At that time it was in the possession of Gerard Bonneville, but it later belonged to Lyra Silvertongue.^[8]^[9]

Symbols

The alethiometer had thirty-six symbols, each of which had countless meanings. Each symbol has its own article detailing its meanings.

Behind the scenes

In 2008, Philip Pullman commissioned the creation of a replica alethiometer by Tony Thomson. It was part of the "Magical Books" exhibit on display at the Bodleian Libraries in Oxford.
The appearance of the alethiometer was inspired by the astrolabes in the History of Science Museum in Oxford.^[10]
Here are some promotional materials produced for The Amber Spyglass, also available on Random House's website, courtesy of Gabriel Schenk, who acquired them by writing a letter to the publisher:

Appearances

HDM Wiki has 24 images of alethiometers.

References

↑ Northern Lights, Chapter 4
↑ Northern Lights, Chapter 10
↑ Random House - History of the Alethiometer (Archived 20 March 2015)
↑ La Belle Sauvage, Chapter 4
↑ ^5.0 ^5.1 Northern Lights, Chapter 2
↑ The Secret Commonwealth, Chapter 9
↑ La Belle Sauvage, Chapter 13
↑ La Belle Sauvage, Chapter 21
↑ La Belle Sauvage, Chapter 25
↑ Twitter - Tweet by @PhilipPullman

Alethiometer symbols

Alpha and Omega • Anchor • Angel • Ant • Apple • Baby • Beehive • Bird • Bread • Bull • Camel • Candle • Cauldron • Chameleon • Compass • Cornucopia • Crocodile • Dolphin • Elephant • Globe • Griffin • Helmet • Horse • Hourglass • Lute • Madonna • Marionette • Moon • Owl • Serpent • Sun • Sword • Thunderbolt • Tree • Walled Garden • Wild Man

[NL4-1] Northern Lights, Chapter 4

[NL10-2] Northern Lights, Chapter 10

[RH-3] Random House - History of the Alethiometer (Archived 20 March 2015)

[LBS-4] La Belle Sauvage, Chapter 4

[NL2-5] 5.0 ^5.1 Northern Lights, Chapter 2

[TSC9-6] The Secret Commonwealth, Chapter 9

[LBS13-7] La Belle Sauvage, Chapter 13

[LBS21-8] La Belle Sauvage, Chapter 21

[LBS25-9] La Belle Sauvage, Chapter 25

[10] Twitter - Tweet by @PhilipPullman

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 ==Known alethiometers==
 As of [[1986]], [[Oakley Street]] knew of five alethiometers:
+*The [[Bodleian alethiometer]], in Oxford
+*The [[Bologna alethiometer]], later in the possession of [[Hannah Relf]]
+*The [[Geneva alethiometer]]
+*The [[Paris alethiometer]]
+*The [[Uppsala alethiometer]]
+At that time, Oakley Street knew only rumours of the [[Lyra Silvertongue's alethiometer|sixth alethiometer]].<ref name="LBS13">{{ref|book|6|13}}</ref> At that time it was in the possession of [[Gerard Bonneville]], but it later belonged to [[Lyra Silvertongue]].<ref name="LBS21">{{ref|book|6|21}}</ref><ref name="LBS25">{{ref|book|6|25}}</ref>
-*the [[Bodleian alethiometer]], in Oxford;
-*the [[Bologna alethiometer]], later in the possession of [[Hannah Relf]];
-*the [[Geneva alethiometer]];
-*the [[Paris alethiometer]];
-*the [[Uppsala alethiometer]]
-At that time, Oakley Street knew only rumours of the [[Lyra's alethiometer|sixth alethiometer]].<ref name="LBS13">{{ref|book|6|13}}</ref> At that time it was in the possession of [[Gerard Bonneville]], but it later belonged to [[Lyra Silvertongue]].<ref name="LBS21">{{ref|book|6|21}}</ref><ref name="LBS25">{{ref|book|6|25}}</ref>
 ==Symbols==