Nova Reperta, Lodestone, 16th Century

Nova Reperta New Inventions of Modern Times. Plate 2 Lapis polaris, magnes geographer with loadstone. Lodestone is a naturally magnetized piece of the mineral magnetite that was used in the first compasses. Its importance to early navigation is evinced by its name, which means leading stone in Middle English. Nova Reperta is a series odfengraving representing geographical, navigational, and astronomical discoveries as well as mechanical and manufacturing innovations. The engravings show a compressed view of each step in the production process within a unified and densely populated pictorial space. The engravings celebrated the discoveries that made the Renaissance world modern and distinguished it from that of the ancients. Engraving by Johannes Stradanus 16th century

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Compass Enhancement Geographer Navigate Stradanus

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