Among the Four Great Inventions, the magnetic compass was first invented as a device for divination as early as the Chinese Han Dynasty and later adopted for navigation by the Song Dynasty Chinese during the 11th century. The first usage of a compass recorded in Western Europe and the Islamic world occurred around 12th Century The compass has Scout Oath inscribed under the lid. Planning to go on a trip? Consider bringing a compass with you. Even though nowadays, many people use their smartphones or other GPS devices for navigation, there is nothing more reliable than an old school compass. Whatever is your way of travelling, a compass will help to accurately determine the direction you are heading. In a broader sense, a sundial is any device that uses the Sun's altitude or azimuth (or both) to show the time. In addition to their time-telling function, sundials are valued as decorative objects, literary metaphors, and objects of mathematical study