A compass rose is a figure depicting north, south, east and west on maps and nautical charts. A true compass rose has 32 points, one point each for the eight major winds, the eight half-winds, and the 16 quarter-winds.
The directional points of a compass rose extend from a central point, with each direction resembling a flower petal. That similarity is what inspired the name.
Early navigators would use the compass rose to draw a straight line from their departure point to their destination.
Maps with compass roses can be traced as far back as the 1300s. Pedro Reinel, a 16th century Portuguese cartographer, is credited with drawing the first standard 32-point compass rose, even adding a decorative fleur-de-lis to indicate north.
A compass rose is often color-coded for ease of reading. The eight major winds are black to make them stand out most, while the eight half-winds are blue or green, and the 16 quarter-winds are red.
