RELIGION & ESOTICISM

This department displays compasses for religious and esoteric use. We will later describe their aim and use.
Please be patient - or ... help us and send us your own description if you want to participate in this project. Many thanks in advance.

- CHINA: FENG SHUI
- ISLAMIC Prayer Compasses

- FENG SHUI COMPASSES -

Technical Data
- Dimensions: 100 x 70 x 40 mm
- Weight: 120 gr

In the ancient Chinese astronomy the cardinal points were described by symbolic animals and colours:
- North: black turtle
- East: blue dragon
- South: red bird
- West: white tiger

(see also MISCELLANEOUS / Cardinal points)


Click on picture for full screen display		 Technical Data
- Diameter: 105 mm
- Depth: 11 mm
- Weight: 150 gr
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- ISLAMIC PRAYER COMPASSES -

Wherever they are in the world, Muslims must turn to their Holy City (Mecca, Saudi Arabia) for their ritual prayers.  This is represented in most  mosques by a niche in a wall called the qibla. These compasses show the right direction.



Instructions for use:
When the needle is oriented to any city name, the minaret will then point to Mecca.

(Click on the picture for a detailed view of the cities' names on the dial)

 Technical Data
- Diameter: 48 mm
- Depth: 10 mm
- Weight: 35 gr
- Date: 1st half of 20th C.

The face features four concentric areas:
- The exterior one contains the figures 1-11. The figure 12, which is not printed is represented by the minaret's roof pointing North (clockwise, sundial function - see also L'Abée-Lund).
- The 2nd one contains the cardinal points in red (see explanation under MISCELLANEOUS / Cardinal points)
- A dotted line separates the 3rd and 4th areas where city names are written in black (from the minaret, clockwise, selection of names): Sanaa, Karachi, Ryiad, Tokyo, Delhi etc.
The words left of the minaret mean: made by the Mint without indication of a specific country. The minaret's architecture and the red crescent and star in the center under the needle's axis indicate that this item was probably made in Turkey (see enlarged view)

The Compass Museum thanks the Institut du Monde Arabe (IMA, Paris) for the friendly help and translation.
Technical Data
- Diameter: 43 mm
- Depth: 10 mm
- Weight: 10 gr
- Divisions: 0-39 in arabic figures and "neskhi"

Instructions for use:
Each country or main city on Earth has its own reference number indicated in a handbooklet. This compass' dial is divided into 40 segments. If you are in London, you must select area 25. When the magnetic needle points to this figure, the white arrow on the compass dial (zero) will then point to Mecca (marking: "Direction of Al Qibla") i.e. South-by-South-East.
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