In ancient times before the person the huge novel world lay. Need to investigate it forced to invent a set of useful devices. The compass was one of them.
If to ask the person that helps it to be guided with the unknown deaf area far from settlements, he will answer that it is the GPS navigator. Today tourists more rely on it. However still quite recently the answer would be other – a compass. This device was the faithful assistant and the fellow traveler in all far wanderings of the person. And now it did not sink into oblivion yet, being still useful and relevant invention. And the mankind is obliged to these …
Chinese Song dynasty
The Song dynasty put an end to dissociation of China which proceeded after the period of government of Tan. Approximately since 960 our era significant rise in economic, political and social spheres of the Chinese life was designated. The empire received a powerful push of development in which the foreign trade communications with other countries became especially indicative.
This background is important as exactly thanks to similar development there was a need to be guided by areas. Rich caravans with goods had to pass huge distances and not be lost on this way.
Emergence of the first compass
At the Song dynasty as historians believe, the first compass appeared. By the form it reminded the spoon which is freely spinning on a saucer in the form of a plate where parts of the world were put. The surface of "saucer" was so polished that the spoon could rotate freely in all directions. If to add that the shank was slightly magnetized it is possible to get an idea of that, how exactly it worked. How untwisted "spoon", its shank always specified the southern direction. There were also gift copies which were given to officials and the emperor. They were inlaid with a skillful carving, decorated with gemstones and were a true piece of art. At first such compasses were applied only in deserts and other countries, and then were gradually transferred to the sea use where perfectly proved and extended on the world. Now there are most various options of a compass. There are even electronic versions which are easy to downloading and installing on the ordinary smartphone. They perfectly serve faithfully to the person and hardly sometime will finally be replaced with GPS navigators.