A method of hatching eggs in Cairo
Date
5 March 1668
Creator
Unknown, Artist
Object type
Archive reference number
Manuscript page number
p424
Material
Dimensions
height (page): 326mm
width (page): 203mm
width (page): 203mm
Subject
Content object
Description
The diagram at the top is a plan of the building where there are 14 ovens (heated by the dung of camels and buffalos) for hatching eggs on each side of a long passage, ab. Each oven houses layers of ovens. The figure below shows the layout of the upper oven, with two hearths (at de), one to heat itself, and the other to heat the oven below. It is adjoined to neighbouring ovens at bc.
This method of hatching eggs in Cairo was described by John Greaves (1602-1652), a professor of astronomy at Oxford who had travelled to Alexandria, Rhodes and Cairo (1635-1640). Robert Moray presented this at the meeting of the Royal Society on 5 March 1668. It was printed in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, vol. 12, no. 137 (January and February 1678).
This image is from a partial copy of the Register Book now among the Boyle papers; the figures are copied from RBO/3/292-93. Another copy can be found at RBC/3/065.
This method of hatching eggs in Cairo was described by John Greaves (1602-1652), a professor of astronomy at Oxford who had travelled to Alexandria, Rhodes and Cairo (1635-1640). Robert Moray presented this at the meeting of the Royal Society on 5 March 1668. It was printed in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, vol. 12, no. 137 (January and February 1678).
This image is from a partial copy of the Register Book now among the Boyle papers; the figures are copied from RBO/3/292-93. Another copy can be found at RBC/3/065.
Object history
At the meeting of the Royal Society on 5 March 1668, ‘Sir George Ent communicated Mr. John Greaves’s description of the manner of hatching chickens at Grand Cairo; which was read, and ordered to be registered’ (Birch 2:255).
Printed in John Greaves (to Sir George Ent), ‘The manner of hatching chicken at Cairo’, Phil. Trans. vol. 12, no. 137 (January and February 1678), pp. 923-25, refs to figs I and II, p. 925.
Printed in John Greaves (to Sir George Ent), ‘The manner of hatching chicken at Cairo’, Phil. Trans. vol. 12, no. 137 (January and February 1678), pp. 923-25, refs to figs I and II, p. 925.
Related fellows
Associated place