The first "marine" compass

When the Great Silk Road, along with its land-based version, also developed its maritime counterpart, Chinese sailors navigated their way using a water compass.

This device was first created in China. With its invention, ancient seagoing vessels were able not only to navigate along the coast but also to venture out into the open sea, navigating with relative ease.

You can see how the first compass used by sailors was made and what it looked like in this video:

The first such floating arrow, indicating the direction of south, appeared in the 11th century. Pieces of something (cloth) that could float on the surface of water were impaled on a magnetized metal needle. When it floated freely in a vessel, its tip invariably pointed toward the pole. Sometimes, a metal fish-shaped figurine was used instead of a needle.

These water compasses quickly became popular among Chinese sailors. This technology was later adopted by the Arabs, from whom it was adopted by the Europeans.

In the same 11th century, the Chinese scientist Shen Gua proposed a different compass design. He suspended a magnetized needle on a silk thread attached with wax. Comparing his design with a floating one, the inventor discovered that his was more accurate. He later modified the design, attaching the magnetized needle to a pin.

However, these designs were far from the first, as compasses, also invented in China, began appearing as early as the 3rd century AD. However, they were used not for navigation, but for ritual purposes. Such a compass consisted of a magnetite spoon mounted on a polished copper or wooden plate.