Weather vanes are used to measure wind direction. In the early times they were functional units, but with time, they began to exhibit the beliefs, traditions and tastes of man. Today, they are the manifestation of the creativity of man. A weather vane is a unique fabrication consisting of a metal figure-head responding to air pressure by spinning on an axis, thereby showing the direction of winds. The way the figurehead is designed is no secret. An unbalanced surface area but a balanced mass produces unequal momentum that swivels the figurehead effectively in an attempt to reduce the pressure of air on its surface. The sheer aerodynamics has won the fascination of many. Metal directionals point out in all four major directions. The discerning person occasionally looks at this contraption and figures out which game the skies are playing. He concocts his game plan accordingly in order to ascertain minimum interference. The early weather vanes were hand crafted. Metal sheets were beaten upon in order to give them the desired shape. The use of wrought iron and copper was common. In the bye gone Greek era, weather vaneswere in the shape of gods that blew the winds in favorable directions, thus bringing favorable weather conditions. Cockerels donned the spires of Church building of the Roman era in order to promote religious beliefs. Sailing ships showed the dependence of the navigator on wind. Today, one can see anything from a darting deer to a galloping horse, or even a custom-designed representation of one’s desires.
