How the compass appeared: the history of origin is brief

What is a compass - every schoolboy knows. Without it, lessons in geometry and drawing can not be avoided. Each student of a technical university has sets of tools. But who invented this instrument, how did the compass come about? The fact that they are drawn circles - this is understandable from the Latin word circulus, from which the name of the instrument has occurred. When did the compasses come to humanity?

Myths and legends of Ancient Greece

About how the compasses appeared, the legends of Ancient Greece briefly narrate. Each of us knows the history of Daedalus and his son Icarus. But few heard that Daedalus also had a nephew, Talos, the son of his sister. The talent of invention was in their blood: the nephew left after his death two rods, connected to each other and capable of plotting an ideal circle. This was the first compass.

Talos invented the potter's wheel when he was only 12 years old. He also owns the creation of a saw: this is his feat skeleton fish. If it were not for the death of Talos at a young age, many of the tools or mechanisms known to us would have appeared much earlier. But historians claim that the tool is not less than 3 thousand years old. The Assyrians and Babylonians used compasses and a ruler in architecture, depicting straight lines and regular circles, on temples, walls of houses, on dishes and cups. A concrete source that tells how the compasses appeared, history does not name, but without it it was impossible to draw an even circle neither three thousand years ago, nor now.

Findings of archaeologists

Archaeologists, during excavations, find various proofs of the ancient origin of the circular. While studying the ancient barrow, in France archaeologists have found an iron tool, which was at least 2 thousand years old. Buried under the ashes of the Greek city of Pompey, became a confirmation of the antiquity of the circular: many of these tools made of bronze were found under the ashes. But on the territory of Russia there were similar finds: during excavations in Novgorod archaeologists found a cutter made of steel. Why did the Novgorodians serve the tools? In ancient times in Russia the patterns from the right circles were very fond, and they applied them with the help of this tool.

About how the compass appeared, the history of its origin in these places - all this is unknown. Trade relations with Byzantium were established by the Prophetic Oleg: thus, other interesting devices could appear in Russia. It is interesting that the design of the instrument has not changed. For centuries, the use of the compass, to its basis were added only attachments, which strengthened the pencil and lengthened its legs.

Construction and architecture

Modernization of the tool allows you to increase the circumference to 60 cm, with the initial growth of the compass - 12 cm. Those who are engaged in designing, drawings, need a compass: it is difficult to build arcs, even circles without it. On ancient temples it is especially clear that since the compasses appeared, the decoration of buildings and domes has become ideal. On the facade of the ancient Georgian church Svetitskhoveli one can see the image of the architect's hand behind which the instrument is visible.

It is architects, construction engineers - these are the main users of the tool, without which you can not build anything. The compasses and the square are drawing devices, with which the designers work. Without them, arched buildings, stained-glass windows on the temples of the Middle Ages would not have been created: at Notre Dame Cathedral or St. Witt Cathedral in Prague.

Variety of tools

As the compass appeared, a brief summary of the legend of the invention is described above. It is also said that his design remained unchanged. But one can not help but notice that many analogues to the classical circus appeared. They are intended not only for drawing circles, but also for other purposes. For example, a marking compass: with its help carry linear markings. Or calipers. It is needed in order to be able to draw such small circles, which in diameter can be 2 mm. If you need a drawing made in carcasses, the lead is easily replaced by the pen-drawing.

Caliper - for measuring circles of different diameters. To measure the scale on the map, you need a proportional compass. Cartographers, navigators, navigators - all use this unique tool. There is also a tool called "Shturman".

Use in medicine

Ever since the compasses appeared, it has not undergone any drastic changes, but the scope of its use has expanded considerably. Medicine is a science in which different kinds of this tool are used. There is a thick compass: it is large and small. They serve to measure the human body and head, its transverse dimensions. The caliper measures the thickness of the subcutaneous fat deposits. Especially often it is used in obstetric practice: the pelvic value of pregnant women is measured. The compasses of Weber are already an instrument of psychophysiologists: they measure the threshold of the skin sensitivity of a person.

Astronomy and symbolic use

On our firmament there is also a constellation, which is called the "Circlet". It is located in the southern hemisphere, very close to the constellation α-Centauri. It is very small. It can not be observed over the territory of Russia. The Greek patroness of astronomy - the goddess Urania, has a symbolic designation in the form of a globe and a compass.

Since the introduction of the compasses, it has become a symbol of justice. Like a square, a circle means the limits of straight lines. The very figure of a circle with a point in the center is justice and the source of life. Well-known to all masons or masons, took in their emblem two important engineering tools - a square and compasses, combining their images. They symbolize the earth and the sky, and in the center - the letter "G": the geometer or the Supreme Being.

The Chinese use the image of a compass, which symbolizes their correct behavior. The Chinese emperor Fo-hi, who was considered immortal, used in his paraphernalia the compasses, and his sister - a square. And together they denote "yin" and "yang": the harmony of life.

From the most ancient times, the square was considered a symbol of the physical body of man, and the circle of his spiritual state. Thus, the circle, outlined with the help of the compass, is a symbol of the perfection of the human soul.