Archaeologists In Poland Discovered A 500-Year-Old Compass That May Have Once Belonged To Nicolaus Copernicus
In Poland, archaeologists came across a 500-year-old compass that may have belonged to Nicolaus Copernicus, who is known for constructing a model of the universe that placed the sun at the center instead of the Earth.
The artifact was called a divider, a two-pronged metal device that was used for measurements in astronomy, cartography, and geometry.
It was uncovered within a network of tunnels beneath the gardens of Frombork, the town where Copernicus lived and died. According to the Warmian Exploration Group, this was the third time such a specimen was found in Poland.
The group used ground-penetrating radar to survey the area for the tunnels. Once they located the tunnels, they began excavating. Since their exploration permits only allowed them to conduct one test excavation, they had one shot to find the tunnels. Luckily, they made the discovery on the first try.
During the excavation, the copper-alloy instrument was unearthed. Experts from Detekt Archaeological Services confirmed that the compass was genuine and dated back roughly between the 15th and 16th centuries.
There is no way to prove Copernicus himself used the compass, but the circumstances strongly suggest it belonged to him.
“They said it was very likely that it was an object of Nicolaus Copernicus because we were conducting work in one of his gardens,” said Norbert Ogiński, president of the Warmian Exploration Group.
Copernicus was a Renaissance astronomer, and he was the first to put forth the theory that the planets in the solar system revolve around the sun rather than Earth.
He also suggested that the Earth completes one rotation on its axis per day and hypothesized that equinoxes caused slow changes in the direction of the Earth’s axis.
Lukasz Janyst – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
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For most of his life, Copernicus lived in Frombork. In the 15th century, he studied astronomy at the University of Bologna.
He was the canon, or clergyperson, of the Frombork cathedral for a period of time, which allowed him to earn a generous income to fund his private studies.
“This find is of great historical importance because the compass is one of the few direct pieces of evidence of Copernicus’ practical application of science,” said Michal Antczak, a member of the Misja Skarb Foundation, an association that promotes and preserves local heritage.
“The discovery of this tool gives us a unique insight into Copernicus’ working methods and his influence on the development of science in Europe.”
The compass was found just a short distance away from where Copernicus’ remains were previously discovered. In 2005, archaeologists stumbled upon part of his skull within the Frombork cathedral.
According to Polish legend, Copernicus used the underground tunnels to travel between the cathedral and the castle where he conducted his studies.
The compass is now at the Nicolaus Copernicus Museum, which has a similar compass in its collection.
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