First used in the 1300s, the compass rose was originally designed for maritime use in determining the direction of the winds. In fact, according to The Compass Rose, a company that specializes in compass rose collector’s items, the compass rose was based on a design called the wind rose, which showed the directions of the winds.
The points of the compass rose were made up of the eight wind directions (now known as north, northeast, east, southeast, south, southwest, west and northwest), as well as the eight total half points and 16 total quarter points in between those directions.
Compass roses today still contain the standard 32 points, reflecting the 32 wind directions. Presented in the circular form still familiar today, they resemble a rose in full bloom, hence the word “rose” in the name.
According to Bill Thoen, a map and geography specialist at Gisnet, there is no standard set of symbols that cartographers use to indicate the directions. However, it is common to place a fleur-de-lis at the top of the rose to indicate north, a tradition that started with Jorge Reinel, a Portuguese cartographer who lived in the 16th century.
Similarly, there is not a traditional color scheme for the compass rose. Instead, cartographers use colors with high contrast for easy visibility.
