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Duplication of unique optical effects of ancient Egyptian lenses from the IV/V Dynasties: lenses fabricated ca 2620–2400 BC or roughly 4600 years ago
Author(s) -
Enoch Jay M.,
Lakshminarayanan Vasudevan
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
ophthalmic and physiological optics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.147
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1475-1313
pISSN - 0275-5408
DOI - 10.1046/j.1475-1313.2000.00496.x
Subject(s) - ancient history , optics , geology , materials science , history , physics
Summary Ancient (in fact, first known) lenses (ca. 4600 years ago) mainly from the IVth and Vth Dynasties of Egypt had truly remarkable and unique optical properties. These were parts of equally fascinating eye structures. These structures were fabricated as separate assemblies for insertion into funerary statues during certain brief windows of time (roughly from 2620–2400 BC, and 1750–1700 BC). These “eyes” appear to follow the observer as he/she rotated in any direction about these statues. In this paper, by simple means, we have recreated the optical properties of these unique lenses in the laboratory in order to help understand their special properties.