Handcrafted Nautical Decor - Solid Brass Round Sundial Compass w/ Rosewood Box 6"

Perfect for the history buff in your family, these antique compasses display two of the most important simple instruments in the history of humanity. Considered to be the first scientific instrument, the earliest basic sundials were created in Egypt around 3500 BC. Across the globe in China, in 2634 BC, the earliest antique compasses were being created. While the earliest sundials were a simple stake in the ground used to mark the sun’s movement, the first compasses were used by the Chinese to create architectural harmony through Feng Shui. Give this brass compass gift to the person in your life who marvels at ancient engineering, who understands the historical impact, or who is captivated by the beauty of these archaic instruments. The first solid evidence of the compass , from the Song Dynasty approximately 1044, describes an elegant iron fish in a bowl of water, used as a constant marker due South. Similarly, the ancient Greeks and Romans used sundials, not only to mark the day, but as decorations in their homes and gardens, and as symbols of wealth and prestige. Each brass compass pairs the gleaming round sundial, first introduced during the reign of Alexander the Great, with a nautical tool that was used to sail across vast oceans as the world opened up to humanity. These antique compasses excite the historian in anyone, and make a sophisticated addition to any room.