# Name this map symbol. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 30, 2009, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-this-map-symbol/515741 "2009-10-30T17:00:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-this-map-symbol/515741/1 "2009-10-30T17:00:34Z")
Used on maps to indicate direction, something like this: \_\_\_\_N W\_\_\_+\_\_\_E \_\_\_\_S On older maps it’s usually ornate, Please don’t make fun of my non-occupied underlines. 😉 Compass? Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![Ol\_Gaffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Ol\_Gaffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ol_Gaffer)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-this-map-symbol/515741/2 "2009-10-30T17:07:19Z")
Are you referring to the [compass rose](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compass_rose)? ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-this-map-symbol/515741/3 "2009-10-30T17:44:52Z")
> [@Ol\_Gaffer](#): > > Are you referring to the [compass rose](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compass_rose)? Yep, that’s it! Cool name, huh? Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Ol\_Gaffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Ol\_Gaffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ol_Gaffer)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-this-map-symbol/515741/4 "2009-10-30T18:10:41Z")
Yeah, they are very cool. We have a lot of historical maps here in the office and I love going over them to see the mix of science and art. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-this-map-symbol/515741/5 "2009-10-30T18:22:21Z")
A lot of modern maps use just that dull half an arrow thing, with one of the “barbs” missing. Saves ink, I guess. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-this-map-symbol/515741/6 "2009-10-30T18:42:06Z")
Hey, I asked this question once, on this very board. I painted one on my dinning room floor, with the GPS coordinates for my room. I tell my friends it’s so I don’t ever get lost in my house! People seem very wowed by it, they probably think it’s a inlay, in fact it’s just painted on. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-this-map-symbol/515741/7 "2009-10-30T18:48:20Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > Hey, I asked this question once, on this very board. > > I painted one on my dinning room floor, with the GPS coordinates for my room. I tell my friends it’s so I don’t ever get lost in my house! > > People seem very wowed by it, they probably think it’s a inlay, in fact it’s just painted on. Pictures? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-this-map-symbol/515741/8 "2009-10-30T19:02:51Z")
Hmmm. Handy for your Moslem friends when it’s time to pray. Wiki article on compass roses: [Compass rose - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compass_rose) Incidentally, the warship that’s the setting of Nicolas Monsarrat’s wonderful WW2 novel _The Cruel Sea_ is HMS _Compass Rose_.