RELIGION & ESOTICISM

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

- Chinese Tradition and Feng Shui -

The various ways of dividing the horizon circle

Depending on the context, the Chinese (and the Japanese?) have used various systems of dividing the horizon surrounding them.
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

The description started with the rising sun in the East clockwise finishing with the North. These directions also had a room-time-related meaning:
-  Toung (East) was also called Chang, i.e. the upper side,
-  Nan (South) was also called Thsian, i.e. the fore side,
-  Si (West) was also called Hia, i.e. the lower side,
-  Pé (North) was also called Heou, i.e. the back side.

The positions between these four main cardinals were designated by the combined names.
Example: Toung nan = South-East. These eight directions were also replaced by the eight trigrammes called kwa (see below astrological compass or Luo pan)

There were further divisions in 12*, 16 or 24 rumbs. The 24 signs partition was used for nautical compasses (see example and explanations in this section). The 12 signs partition was used in Japan.
(See also Miscellaneous/Cardinals). 
 


The 12 signs on the back of turtle

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

 The 12 signs on the face of a Japanese pocket compass



The 12 signs as described in Klaproth's booklet:

 Phonetic value, translation and resulting angle:

TSU (rat): north
- Tcheou (ox): north 1/3 east
- In (tiger): north 2/3 east
MAO (hare): east
- Chîn (dragon): east 1/3 south
- Szu (snake): east 2/3 south
OU (horse): south
- Wei (sheep): south 1/3 west
- Chin (ape): south 2/3 west
YEOU (chicken): west
- Siu (dog): west 1/3 north
- Haï (pig): west 2/3 north

These signs can be combined so as to build 16 directions by dividing each quarter of the full circle in four parts.
Example: Mao chîn = east-south-east

Luo Pan Compass



Example of a (simplified) contemporary Luo Pan compass

Click on the picture for a full screen display		 The astrological Chinese compass as described by Klaproth in his famous Lettre à M. le Baron A. de Humbodt sur l'invention de la boussole (1834)


 Technical Data
- Diameter: 105 mm
- Depth: 11 mm
- Weight: 150 gr

In the first of the 15 concentric circles surrounding  the compass, the eight basic directions are represented by three-lines symbols called trigramms or kwa of Fu hi.



Table above: the 8 Kwa (Klaproth)
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- ISLAM -

Qibla 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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- SPIRITUALISM -

Pendulum with Compass

Description : This instrument was most probably used for spiritualism. When the medium holds the electrode at the end of the wire and the pendulum is hanging over a photograph (for example) of a beloved person, the magnetic needle points then towards a direction corresponding to the feelings of the person on the photograph. The indicated values are the same as on the postcard, i.e. cool in the North but hot in the South. By placing a magnet under the table and the photograph accordingly on the table, you can achieve very good results...




Pictures by courtesy of Arlete Anderson

(Click on the pictures for enlarged views)

Markings (on side):
Registr. 8548 K K Berlin

 Technical Data
- Diameter (compass): 1 1/4" - 32 mm
- Height (pendulum alone): 2 3/4" - 70 mm
- Case: 5 x 2 1/2 x 2" - 270 x 68 x 5 mm
- Weight: 1.6 oz - 36 gr
- Electrodes: cylindrical rods, flattened at the end like screw-drivers, connected via a metallic wire, wrapped around the pendulum's "waist".


The instrument in a luxurious case with silk cushions