Compass: Difference between revisions

Prior to the introduction of the compass, direction at sea was primarily determined by the position of celestial bodies. Navigation was supplemented in some places by the use of [[Sounding line|soundings]]. Difficulties arose where the sea was too deep for soundings and conditions were continually overcast or foggy. Thus the compass was not of the same utility everywhere. For example, the Arabs could generally rely on clear skies in navigating the [[Persian Gulf]] and the [[Indian Ocean]] (as well as the predictable nature of the [[monsoon]]s). This may explain in part their relatively late adoption of the compass. Mariners in the relatively shallow [[Baltic Sea|Baltic]] made extensive use of soundings.