What instruments were used to tell the direction in ancient times?

An ancient tool to tell the direction.

1, Sina

It was invented as early as the Warring States period. A tool used to tell the direction in ancient China. It is the ancestor of the compass used now. It is made of natural magnetite and placed on a smooth disk with directions engraved on it. The direction can be identified by the function of magnet guidance.

2. Compass

It is an operating tool of the theory of regulating qi, which is mainly composed of a magnetic needle and a series of concentric circles located in the center of the disc, and each concentric circle represents the ancient people in China's understanding of a certain level of information in the cosmic system. It was first used for navigation and then for geomantic geography.

3. huabiao

Also known as Huan Biao, Biao Mu or Huang Mu, it is a traditional architectural form in China. Initially, it was an ancient instrument for observing the sky and measuring the earth. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, there was an instrument for observing astronomy, which was a watch. People take trees as poles, and measure the azimuth and solar terms by the length of the sun shadow, so as to measure the stars, so that the period of the sidereal year can be observed.

4. Star plate

Astronomical positioning technology developed greatly in Yuan and Ming Dynasties. At that time, the method of determining geographical latitude by observing the height of stars was called "pulling stars", and the measuring tool used was called pulling stars. According to the vertical height measured by lead plate and the length of guide rope, the height angle of Polaris can be converted, which is about equal to the geographical latitude of the place. The fleet led by Zheng He navigated with "remembering the return of the stars".