It was here that they discovered a 500-year-old compass just like the one Copernicus is often depicted holding. GraphicaArtis//Getty Images An engraved portrait circa 1850 of Copernicus ...

Earliest records show a spoon shaped compass made of lodestone or magnetite ore, referred to as a "South-pointer" dating back to sometime during the Han Dynasty (2nd century BCE to 2nd century CE).

The 500-year-old compass is a two-pronged metal device that scientists used for precise measurements in cartography, geometry and astronomy. When you purchase through links on our site ...