Archaeologists have discovered what is presumed to be the oldest telescope or kijkertje ever found in The Netherlands. The telescope was unearthed during recent excavations near the railway station in Delft.
The 10cm long metal tube of the telescope will now be housed in Delft’s Prinsenhof Museum which is to be reopened by Dutch King Willem-Alexander on the 23rd May this year.
According to experts, the telescope originates from the first half of the 17th century and during both the 16th and 17th centuries, Delft and the Middleburg regions had an important role in the development of lenses and telescopes.
Prior to this find, the oldest telescopes unearthed in The Netherlands date from the second half of the 17th century and form part of the Christiaan Huygens Collection.
Source: DutchNews.nl
Photo credit: Museum Boerhaave
Elizabeth Joss-Bethlehem
Elizabeth Joss-Bethlehem is the founder and main writer at The Museum Times. She works as a university lecturer by day and is an avid travel blogger and arts and culture enthusiast by night. Elizabeth started The Museum Times out of the need to give smaller, lesser-known museums more exposure.
Follow Me:
Leave a Reply