The weathervane: Man’s heart’s desire. Since times unknown, winds have dictated the lifestyles of man. The early known civilizations thrived on farming and they depended on the direction of winds and thereby the weather conditions to ascertain the exact time to plough their fields, sow or reap the harvest, thresh and sift the grain. Early man worshiped winds and believed in wind-gods who sent winds to the earth. They prayed to these wind-gods in order to bring favor to them. Dating back to the AD 48, The Tower of Winds in Athens has a life-sized bronze weathervane in the shape of the Greek god Triton pointing his wand to show the direction of the wind. Sailors would swear by the winds. Their lives depended on them. As great men like Columbus set-off to sail on great expeditions, wind direction determined the course of their journey. In the battlefield, it was important for archers to know the direction of the wind in order effectively shoot their arrows. As winds were very important, so was the importance of measuring them. Initially people measured the direction of winds by looking at flags and other objects placed at high positions. All these primitive methods gave way to the invention of the weathervane. In this age of computers and satellites, people no longer rely on a weathervane, but look at the rooftops and you will notice that a weathervaneis the heart’s desire of the modern man.
The weathervane: Man’s heart’s desire
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