The magnetic needle used to determine the northern direction has been used since the 11th century. Initially, however, it floated on the water and only in the 13th century Italian sailors locked it in a wooden box, forming a compass. Over time, the graduation in degrees was placed under the needle, which enabled not only the determination of the north, but also other directions. The new device was named a compass from the Italian word "compaso", i.e. "graduation". It was one of the key inventions that enabled Europe's entry into the era of great geographical discoveries, thanks to that precise navigation on the open sea was possible and thus contributed to the discovery of America in 1492.
