Far back in 1508, Nicolaus Copernicus developed a celestial model of a heliocentric planetary system, which he described in his landmark work De revolutionibus orbium coelestium. This groundbreaking work changed our understanding of the universe and sparked controversy with the Catholic Church.
Recently, amateur archaeologists may have stumbled upon one of the humble tools that aided Copernicus in his work. The Warminska Grupa Eksploracyjna, an archaeological exploration group, discovered a 500-year-old compass while exploring the grounds of the Archcathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Andrew in northern Poland.
The discovery is significant because it takes us back to the era when Copernicus made his revolutionary discoveries. While there isn’t direct evidence linking this particular compass to Copernicus, there’s reason to believe a link could exist.
Copernicus received a canon cathedral appointment from Frombork after his studies at the University of Cracow in the 1490s. This position allowed him to fund his continued studies during his free time. By 1510, he had returned to Frombork, where he developed his heliocentric theory.
The discovery of this compass lends credence to the idea that it was once in Copernicus’ hands. It’s also worth noting that the compass was found near where Copernicus’ remains were recently discovered. The compass has been sent to the Conservator of Monuments of Poland for preservation and analysis, and will eventually be displayed at the nearby Nicolaus Copernicus Museum.
Source: https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/archaeology/a61829877/archaeologists-find-ancient-compass-copernicus/