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How the compass became a political weapon
Jerry Brotton takes us on a journey through the unexpected history of the four cardinal directions
- Spencer Mizen
Published: January 6, 2025 at 7:00 AM
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Why did early Islamic cartographers place south at the top of their maps? Who invented the magnetic compass? And why has 'the west' become an intensely political term, as well as a geographical one? Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Jerry Brotton answers the most intriguing questions on the history of the four cardinal points: north, east, south and west.
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Jerry Brotton is the author of The Four Points of the Compass: The Unexpected History of Direction (Allen Lane, 2024).
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Hear more from Jerry Brotton on the life and legacy of extraordinary cartographer Marie Tharp
Authors
Spencer MizenSenior production editor
Spencer is senior production editor of HistoryExtra magazine
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