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November 10, 2025International Journal of Maritime History

A critical review of Alexander von Humboldt's argument on the Chinese origin of the compass

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Authors

SKS. June KimMHMinhyeok HeoSKS. June Kim

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Overview

Critical review reveals flawed historical claims about the compass's introduction from China via Arabia.

Key Points

  • This review critiques Alexander von Humboldt's argument on the compass's origins.
  • Critical analysis of historical claims regarding the compass's origins.
  • Comparison of the timeline of compass use in China, Europe, and Arabia.
  • Examination of Humboldt's influence on the perception of compass history.
  • Humboldt's claim lacks support from historical facts.
  • The compass was used independently in various regions, contradicting a unilinear diffusion model.
  • An alternative synthesis reveals cross-civilizational influences in the development of navigation devices.

Cite This Study

Kim et al. (2025) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/69253a1ec0ce034ddc356ff4https://doi.org/10.1177/08438714251391503
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