Compass Rose
F1. Maritime HistoryDefinition
Wind rose device printed on charts since the portolan era of the late thirteenth century.
The compass rose is the figure showing the cardinal and intercardinal directions and the named winds, printed on charts since the portolan era of the late thirteenth century. Early roses radiated rhumb lines across portolan charts to aid course-laying by magnetic bearing, and were often elaborately decorated with the fleur-de-lis marking north. The device evolved from the classical wind rose into the modern 32-point and 360-degree forms. It is one of the most enduring icons of cartography and navigation.