According to the Bombay Gazetteer (Vol. XIII, Part II, Appendix A), the Matsya Yantra was an early form of a magnetic compass used in India around the 5th century CE.
Design: It consisted of an iron fish floating in a vessel of oil.
Function: The iron fish would align itself with the Earth’s magnetic field and always point north.
Use: Likely used for navigation, astronomy, and possibly in religious rituals.
- Early Understanding of Magnetism:
The Matsya Yantra reflects an early knowledge of geomagnetic principles.
It predates the Chinese south-pointing chariot and later magnetic compasses.
- Maritime & Trade Applications:
India had extensive maritime trade with Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.
A navigational tool like the Matsya Yantra would have helped sailors find their bearings on long voyages.
- Influence on Later Innovations:
The concept of using a floating iron object to find direction might have influenced medieval Indian and Arab navigational techniques.
Similar methods appear in early Chinese and Arabic sources centuries later.
