The Origins Of The Marine Compass

Take a moment to imagine what it was like for a sailor to be out in the ocean on a tall wooden ship surrounded by nothing but water. While in the dark of night, he has the stars to guide him, during the day he has nothing to help him pinpoint his location. All he had was the direction of the wind and a sense of which way he should go. This is what early sailors faced when trying to sail the seas before the first magnetic marine compass was invented.
The first version of the magnetic mariner's compass can be traced back to around 1,000 B.C. to the Olmec people of South America. The original compass was constructed out of lodestone, which was found to have magnetic properties. Even though the lodestone compass was first used in the science of astronomy, it was also used as a tool for navigating the oceans.
As it is known today, the original design of the magnetic marine compass is accredited to the Chinese. Since around 300 B.C. they had known and utilized the attributes of magnets, which where used by builders and Feng Shui artisans. It was then discovered in the latter part of 1000 A.D. that a needle made from a magnet, when placed in a container of water, would always point to true north. Thus was born the first magnetic mariner's compass, becoming a vital navigation instrument on board a ship. China was able to introduce the design to the world while traveling and trading with other cultures.
The culture who was the first to share in the Chinese design of the marine compass was the Middle Eastern society. Their main purpose for the compass, though, was for religious practices. It aided the Islamic people in pointing to Mecca so that daily prayers could be said in accordance with their beliefs. 
The Middle Eastern culture made the first alteration in the design of the magnetic marine compass. Instead of using a straight needle in a bowl of liquid, they changed the design, using instead a closed decorative glass container with magnets which were shaped like fish. Although this improved the appearance of the compass, when used at sea it was found that this design did not allow for the precision needed in navigation. The construction of the 32 point compass rose was found to fill this need, allowing for the most precise calculations during that time period.
The Europeans are credited with the magnetic mariner's compass design which is still used today. Europe's first introduction to the Middle Eastern design can be traced to around 1200 A.D. The use of a container of water was found to be too fragile and cumbersome when traveling. It was discovered that using a small magnetic needle on a post would still give an accurate reading of true north. Compasses seen in the modern age still use this design concept, as an improvement has still not been discovered.  In modern times, these types of compasses are still very popular beach decor artifacts.
The improved navigation provided by the magnetic marine compass opened up new worlds for mankind. The compass's simplistic, accurate design has allowed for safer navigation on both land and sea.