It is not known exactly where or when the formal magnetic
compass originated. However, what little unclear evidence has been
found indicates the compass was refined in Italy circa 1200AD.
Italy is known for its grand maritime achievements that made them a
navigational superpower.
It is believed Flavio Gioia first invented the refined
compass, and a monument has been erected in Almafi Italy to honor
his invention. It was probably developed by combining the wind rose
and the lodestone. From this device it is supposed the compass rose
evolved. A wind rose was glued to the top of a lodestone and placed
in a covered container of water. Later, oils were used instead of
water to stabilize the compass disk from erratic movement. Then it
was found you could magnetize needles and glue them to the bottom
of the disk. These needles had to be re-magnetized periodically to
maintain a sufficient level of magnetism.
Like the wind rose, the compass rose was coincidentally designed in
a fashion that resembled the rose flower. It helped to orient the
map in the proper reading direction and gave the relative
directions for certain points on the chart.
Before compass roses were used on maps, lines were drawn from
central points. These lines were hard to follow since there were
usually many of these lines intersecting each other on one map. The
rose design was typically drawn in a way that made it easier to
follow the directional lines.
Having good maps that were easier to read and which were
developed using the magnetic compass made it much more efficient to
trade for goods in far away lands and over the open seas. Direct
routes could be established, and navigation in bad weather enabled
transportation to take place year round instead of only on fair
weather days during the warmer seasons.
Have fun with this series and Cache Safe
ABNDaddy is Serving Honorably in the United
States Army and is a Proud Member of MAGC: