Chinese tombs oriented by a compass: evidence from paleomagnetic changes versus the age of tombs

0357483 - GFÚ 2013 RIV CZ eng J - Journal Article
Charvátová, Ivanka - Klokočník, Jaroslav - Kolmaš, J. - Kostelecký, J.
Chinese tombs oriented by a compass: evidence from paleomagnetic changes versus the age of tombs.
Studia geophysica et geodaetica. Roč. 55, č. 1 (2011), s. 159-174. ISSN 0039-3169. E-ISSN 1573-1626
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30120515; CEZ:AV0Z10030501
Keywords : Chinese tombs * magnetic compass * paleomagnetic declination * Fuson hypothesis
Subject RIV: DE - Earth Magnetism, Geodesy, Geography
Impact factor: 0.700, year: 2011

Extant written records indicate that knowledge of an ancient type of compass in China is very old - dating back to before the Han dynasty to at least the 4th century BC. Geomancy was practised for a long time and had a profound influence on the face of China's landscape and city plans. The tombs (pyramids) near the former Chinese capital citis of Xi'an and Luoyang show strong spatial orientations, sometimes along a basic South-North axis but usually with deviations of several degrees to the East or West. The use of the compass means that the needle was directed towards the actual magnetic pole at the time of construction, or last recontruction, of the respective tomb. However the magnetic pole, relative to the nearly "fixed" geographic pole, shifts significantly over time.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0195751