What is a compass? Where and when did the first compass appear? Compass in the modern world: a necessary thing or an obsolete item.
According to historical data, the invention of the compass occurred during the reign of the Chinese Song Dynasty and was associated with the need to navigate in the desert. In the 3rd century BC. Chinese philosopher Hen Fei-tzu described the design of the compass of his era as follows: it was a spherical, carefully polished in the convex part, pouring spoon, consisting of magnetite with a thin handle.
It was installed on a carefully polished copper or wooden plate with its convex part so that the handle did not touch the plate, but was located freely above it. In this case, the spoon should rotate freely around the axis of its base.
Designations of the cardinal directions representing the zodiac signs are applied to the plate. The spoon was rotated by pushing the handle of the stem. When the spoon stops, the handle, which acts as a magnetic needle, points exactly south.
This was the structure of the most ancient device that performed the functions of a compass. In the 11th century, a floating compass needle made of an artificial magnet appeared in China. Usually it was made in the shape of a fish, which was dipped into a vessel with water. She swam freely in the water, pointing her head towards the south. The Chinese were equipped with floating compasses. They were installed at the bow and stern to make it convenient for captains to navigate the journey in any weather.
This compass reached the Arabs in the 12th century, and at the beginning of the 13th century - the Europeans. Italian sailors were the first to adopt the “floating needle” from the Arabs, later - the Spaniards, Portuguese and French, and even later - the Germans and the British. Initially, the compass was a magnetized needle and a piece of wood floating in a vessel with water. Soon the vessel began to be covered to protect the mechanism from the effects of wind. In the middle of the 16th century, the magnetic needle began to be placed on the tip in the middle of the circle.
The compass acquired a significantly improved appearance at the beginning of the 14th century thanks to the Italian Flavio Gioia. He placed the magnetic needle on a vertical pin, and the needle 
attached to a light circle - a card, divided along the circumference into 16 points. And in the 16th century, the card and the box with the arrow were placed in a gimbal to avoid the influence of the ship's pitching on the compass readings.
The invention of the compass probably occurred during the Qin Dynasty (221-206 AD) from Chinese fortune tellers who exploited the amazing ability of a metalized object to face north.
Chinese invention
It is almost impossible to say exactly where the compass was invented, because it was too long ago and the story of this fact has not reached us. Nevertheless, many believe that the invention was created in China. A similar device worked for orientation in all areas, including the deserts of China.
There is only one ancient record about the invention of the compass, when the ancient Chinese ideologist Hen Fei-tzu described an object that is very similar to a device that facilitates orientation on the ground, such as we know it today. Later, in the 1st century, a record was created, also in China, about a device with a floating arrow. It says that the arrow was in the shape of a fish, and was created from a special material similar to a magnet. The arrow had to be lowered into the water, and it would already point in a certain direction.
The invention of the compass was further developed in the 8th century AD, when a magnetized needle began to be used in navigation devices on ships.
The first person to use the invention for navigation was Zheng He (1371-1435) from Yunnan, who completed seven ocean voyages between 1405 and 1433.
Already in the 12th century, Chinese wanderers shared knowledge about this incredible contraption with the Arabs. After which they presented it to Italian sailors in Europe. Already from Italy, the device gradually began to roam throughout Europe, starting from Central Europe where the country is now Croatia. In the 14th century, a needle made of magnetic material was placed in the center of a reel of paper.
It was only in the 15th century that a device began to appear, the predecessor of today's, when the Maltese Flavio Gioia placed a magnetized needle on a needle-shaped pin. In addition, he divided the compass panel into 16 parts, however, a century later it was divided into 32 parts. Since the invention of the compass, it has not changed in any way on the inside, but has only been modified on the outside, because generations change, which means things must change.
Device Application
Now the compass is used to identify directions in aviation, tourism, hunting, travel and simply when moving from one place to another. Electronic devices are commercially produced, but they are still based on a sensor of the horizontal component of the Earth's magnetic field from an observation point of view.
The most ancient device that makes it easier to navigate the terrain is the compass. Its arrows point to the Earth's magnetic poles. Every schoolchild is familiar with this simple device. Surprisingly, it was invented long before our era.
History of the compass
Presumably, the history of the compass begins in the 3rd century BC. The ancient Chinese were the first to realize the amazing property of magnetite to show the Earth's poles.
To move through the desert, they invented a device that bore little resemblance to a modern compass, but its operating principle was the same. The ancient compass resembled a spoon lying on a polished plate. The handle of this magnetite spoon rotated freely and, when stopping, pointed to the south.
Much later, in the 11th century AD, the Chinese came up with a compass with a floating needle in the shape of a fish. The Arabs really liked this device, and they began to use it to find the right direction on long sea voyages.
In the 13th century Europeans began to use a similar device. And in the XIV century. The compass acquired a look similar to the modern one. The magnetic needle was secured with a pin at the bottom of the vessel or on a paper base.
The Italian Flavio Joio improved the device by equipping it with a round card with 16 rhombuses (4 for each cardinal direction). Even later, the circle was divided into 32 parts. By the 18th century The compass was already a complex device that showed not only the direction of movement, but also the time.
What now
Now there are many types of compass:
- electromagnetic,
- electronic,
- gyro-compass.
They are more advanced and are used on ships and aircraft. However, the good old magnetic compass continues to live, being the most convenient and reliable device for geologists, climbers and ordinary travel enthusiasts.
The history of the creation of the first magnetic compass goes back centuries and still remains a mystery in many respects. Basically, only fragments of those stories reach us that could be associated with the appearance of the first magnetic compass. Greece, China and India claim the title of the country in which the first compass appeared, but even here everything is not so clear.
I propose together to consider the information that has come down to us thanks to the scrupulous work of historians, on the basis of which it will be possible to get an idea of where and when one of the first navigational instruments appeared, which to this day is very popular and is used by both sailors and travel enthusiasts. drier.
One of the “models” of ancient compasses, which still works quite well today.
Since the invention of the magnetic compass is closely related to the discovery and study of magnetism, our further story will simultaneously consider this phenomenon.
First Chinese compass
According to some researchers, the phenomenon of magnetism was first discovered by the ancient Greeks. However, there is another point of view that gives the authorship of the discovery to the Chinese.
Scientists who prefer the “Chinese discovery” refer to a chronicle made in the third millennium BC, although it is assumed that magnetic iron ore itself (aka magnetite) was discovered by the Chinese a thousand years earlier.
In the chronicles cited by scientists, it is assumed that the Chinese Emperor Huang Di used a compass for navigation during his battle. However, according to another version, instead of a compass, his carts used a device in the form of a chariot, on which a miniature figurine of a man showed the direction to the south.
The reconstruction of such a chariot is shown in the photo below:
This chariot was installed on a vehicle and connected to its wheels in such a way that, thanks to the well-established gear mechanism, when the cart turned, the chariot began to rotate in the opposite direction. Thus, the miniature figurine of a man on a chariot always invariably points to the south, regardless of the turn of the vehicle. In general, of course, this figure would have shown in any other direction: everything depended on where it was initially directed. The chariot itself was not able to navigate to the cardinal points, as the needle of a magnetic compass does.
It is interesting that one of the first Chinese compasses, which was a spoon made of magnetic material and rotating on a smooth board, was not used for its intended purpose, but in magical rituals for predictions.
This use of a magnet took place in the third millennium BC, although according to another version, the magnetic properties of a ferromagnet were used in ancient China already in the fourth millennium BC in Feng Shui rituals, explaining magnetism as a manifestation of higher forces.
By the end of the second millennium BC, Chinese sailors were already fully using magnetic compasses for their intended purpose - to navigate the sea.
Independently of China, magnetism was also discovered in India. This discovery happened thanks to a mountain located near the Indus River. Local residents noticed that this mountain was capable of attracting iron.
The magnetic properties of the rock have found application in Indian medicine. Thus, Sushruta, an Indian doctor, used a magnet for surgical procedures.
As in China, sailors in India learned to use a magnet. Their compass looked like a homemade fish, the head of which was made of a material with magnetic properties.
Thus, the Indian fish and the Chinese spoon became the ancestors of the modern compass.
Compass and Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece, like the previous two countries, did not lag behind in the scientific field. The Greeks, independently of other scientists, independently discovered and studied the phenomenon of magnetism, and after that they created their first compass.
In the 7th–6th centuries BC, the ancient Greeks, namely Thales of Miletus, discovered that magnetite, known for several centuries, was capable of attracting iron.
This phenomenon was explained in different ways: some believed that magnetite has a soul that is drawn to iron, others - that iron has moisture, which in turn is absorbed by the magnet. But, as we understand, such explanations were still very far from the truth.
Later, Socrates discovered the phenomenon of magnetization of iron attracted to a magnet. And some time later it was discovered that magnets can not only attract, but also repel.
It is thanks to the discovery of Socrates that not only compasses, but also a huge number of other instruments work today.
Thus, all the facets of magnetism were gradually revealed, which later made it possible to reveal its nature. But at this stage it was too early to talk about something like a compass.
Further history
In the Middle Ages, nothing particularly new was discovered in terms of discovering new properties of magnetism and working with magnets. Only new explanations for this phenomenon have appeared, mainly related to the same supernatural forces. For example, the monks explained the manifestation of magnetism based on the doctrine of theology.
If we talk about Europe, then the first mention of a compass is found in the works of Alexander Neckam and dates back to 1187. Although, perhaps, the use of the compass here and in the Mediterranean began much earlier - back in the second millennium BC, as evidenced by indirect indications of ancient historians. It is assumed that no reference to the compass survives because the compass simply did not have its own name to fit into the historical document.
Three centuries later, during his voyages, the famous sailor Christopher Columbus noticed that during a sea voyage the magnetic needle deviates from the north-south direction. Thus, magnetic declination was discovered, the values of which are still used by sailors and are indicated on some maps.
At Lomonosov's suggestion, observatories were created to systematically study the Earth's magnetic field and its changes. However, this did not happen during the lifetime of the great Russian scientist, but, as they say, “better late than never.”
Later, Descartes and a number of other scientists developed a detailed scientific theory of magnetism, and also discovered the magnetic properties of other materials that were not ferromagnetic - para- and diamagnetic materials.
Some time later, points of the Earth's magnetic poles were found where the magnetic needle has an inclination of 90°, that is, it is located perpendicular to the horizontal plane.
The compass will only show at the poles if it is positioned vertically.
In parallel with the study of magnets and the characteristics of the manifestation of their magnetic field in different conditions, the design of magnetic compasses was improved. In addition, other types of compasses were invented that operated on principles unrelated to magnetism. We talked about them in
Modern models of magnetic compasses are very different from their predecessors. They are more compact, lighter, allow you to work faster and give more accurate measurement results. In addition, such models are often equipped with auxiliary elements that expand the capabilities of the device when working with a map and on the ground.
We should not forget about compasses, the operation of which is not based on the magnetic properties of the needle. Today, there are many such compasses known, which allows the user to choose the most convenient option for operating conditions.
As we see, history at the moment cannot give a clear and unambiguous answer to the question of where the very first compass in the world appeared and who invented it. Let's hope that soon historians will be able to brush away the veil of antiquity hiding the facts and they will have more data in order to figure out the country of the discoverers. And we can only wait, learn and use the knowledge that came from the past and is fully used by humanity at the present stage of development.
The creation of the compass and its widespread implementation gave impetus not only to geographical discoveries, but also made it possible to better understand the relationship between electric and magnetic fields. After the use of the compass began, new branches of scientific knowledge began to appear.
The compass with a magnetic needle revealed to humanity not only the globe, but also the physical world in all its diversity.
The primacy in the discovery of the properties of the compass is disputed by several: Indians, Arabs and Chinese, Italians, and British. Today it is very difficult to reliably determine who owns the credit for inventing the compass. Many conclusions are drawn only on assumptions made by historians, archaeologists and physicists. Unfortunately, many testimonies and documents that could shed light on this issue have not survived or have survived to this day in a distorted form.
Where did the compass first appear?
One of the most common versions says that the compass was introduced to China about years ago (“From the astrolabe to navigation systems”, V. Koryakin, A. Khrebtov, 1994). The pieces of ore, which had the miraculous property of attracting small metal objects, were called by the Chinese “loving stone” or “mother’s love stone.” Residents of China were the first to pay attention to the properties of the magic stone. If it was shaped into an oblong object and hung on a thread, it would occupy a certain position, pointing one end to the south and the other to the north.
It was surprising that the “arrow”, deviated from its position, after oscillations, again occupied its original position. Chinese chronicles contain indications that travelers used the property of magnetic stone to determine the correct position when moving through deserts when the daylight and stars were not visible in the sky.
The first Chinese compass was used when caravans moved through the Gobi Desert.
Much later, the magnet began to be used for navigation. According to Chinese sources, around the 5th-4th centuries BC, sailors began to use a metal needle rubbed with a magnetic stone and suspended on a silk thread. It is surprising that at that time the compass did not reach India and Europe, because at that time communications were already being established between China and these regions. But the Greeks of those times do not mention.
It is believed that the compass came to Europe no earlier than the 3rd century BC through Arab sailors who plied the waters of the Mediterranean Sea. But some researchers do not rule out that this useful device was re-invented, who independently discovered the effect produced by a magnetic device suspended on a thin thread.
The compass is a surprisingly ancient invention, despite the relative complexity of its design. Presumably, this mechanism was first created in Ancient China back in the 3rd century BC. Later it was borrowed by the Arabs, through whom this device came to Europe.
History of the compass in ancient China
In the 3rd century BC, in a Chinese treatise, a philosopher named Hen Fei-tzu described the design of the device, Sonnan, as “knowing the south.” It was a small spoon with a rather massive convex part, polished to a shine, and a thin small one. The spoon was placed on a copper plate, also well polished, so that there was no friction. The handle should not touch the plate; it would remain hanging in the air. Signs of the cardinal directions were applied to the plate, which in Ancient China were associated with signs. The convex part of the spoon rotated easily on the plate if you pushed it a little. And in this case the stalk always pointed to the south.
Scientists believe that the shape of the magnet's arrow - a spoon - was not chosen by chance; it symbolized the Big Dipper, or the "Heavenly Bucket", as the ancient Chinese called this constellation. This device did not work very well, since it was impossible to polish the plate and spoon to an ideal state, and friction caused errors. In addition, it was difficult to manufacture, since magnetite is difficult to process and is a very fragile material.
In the 11th century, several versions of the compass were created in China: a floating one in the form of an iron fish with water, a magnetized needle, and others.
Further history of the compass
In the 12th century, the Chinese floating compass was borrowed by the Arabs, although some researchers are inclined to believe that the Arabs were the authors of this invention. In the 13th century, the compass came to Europe: first to Italy, after which it appeared among the Spaniards, Portuguese, and French - those nations that were distinguished by advanced navigation. This medieval compass looked like a magnetic needle attached to a plug and lowered into the water.
In the 14th century, the Italian inventor Gioia created a more accurate compass design: the needle was put on a pin in a vertical position, and a reel with sixteen points was attached to it. In the 17th century, the number of points of reference increased, and to prevent the ship's pitching from affecting the accuracy of the compass, a gimbal was installed.
The compass turned out to be the only navigation device that allowed European sailors to navigate the open sea and go on long journeys. This was the impetus for the Great Geographical Discoveries. This device also played a role in the development of ideas about the magnetic field and its relationship with the electric field, which led to the formation of modern physics.
Later, new types of compass appeared - electromagnetic, gyrocompass, electronic.
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