The symbolism of words makes it possible to use them repeatedly at times for the most directly opposite things. What is a wind rose? First of all, you need to understand that this symbol of the compass - a navigation tool invented by the Chinese for sea voyages - can only conditionally be called a rose, a beautiful and prickly flower of passionate love. This name is a consequence of the attitude to this schematic depiction of a compass, as to the hope of finding a way home.
In geography
The answer to the question of what is a wind rose can be found in a geography textbook. This is a diagram superimposed on a compass, which shows the constancy of winds of different directions for any point on the globe. In the figure, this is a bunch of rays that diverge from a single point along the rhubes of the horizon. Each line graphically depicts wind repeatability in that direction. What is formed as a result of connecting all the segments on the diagram is the wind rose. For the first time, Europeans started talking about this wonderful invention long before the great geographical discoveries, around the 12th century. Seafarers found practical application for him, for whom it was important to know when, what sails and at what angle to set in order to achieve a fair wind. Nowadays, this invention is used in the design of buildings to take into account the local climate. It is interesting that the question: “What wind brought you here?” - you can answer: "I was brought here by the southwest wind of 5 points on the Beaufort scale, which according to the wind rose is in this area all the time on May days." Then it is better to explain in more detail to the puzzled interlocutor what a wind rose is. The simplest weather vane helps to determine the direction of moving air masses, and the anemometer helps speed.
In tattoo
The wind rose is a tattoo, the meaning of which is interpreted differently. For most lovers of floridly decorating their body, this is just a beautiful memorable drawing with sharp corners and Latin letters, affixed in the directions of the parts of the world. However, the wind rose came to us from sailors, a special caste of fearless people who expressed their desire to live according to special charters with such a tattoo. The main rule of the sea wolf is to be free, like the vast expanses of the sea, to live without restrictions. It is clear that very soon such a tattoo became a symbol of pirates. Representatives of the criminal world also had a “wind rose” tattoo. Its meaning depends on the location on the body of the prisoner. Thieves drew a tattoo on their shoulders as belonging to their special criminal caste, and the image of a rose on their knees meant inflexibility of character, anger, refusal of any obedience. Therefore, the question of what is a wind rose can be answered by young people who are fond of tattoos.
In official symbols
The flower in the name of the symbol "wind rose" means perfection, the desire for beauty, indestructible, therefore this sign is used in the symbols of official organizations. The Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation uses the symbol of the White Star of Hope and Salvation, this is nothing more than a wind rose. The meaning of the symbol is an echo of those times when sailors adorned their wrist with this pattern in the hope that it would bring them good luck and help them return home in a fair wind. The wind rose is still associated with sea voyages. In 2004, on the occasion of the 750th anniversary of the birth of the famous traveler Marco Polo in San Marino, a gold collection coin of 20 euros was issued, in which, in memory of the fact that Marco Polo was a traveler, a wind rose is depicted. It is interesting that, describing the structure of life in medieval Asia (China), Marco Polo, returning to his homeland, ended up in a Genoese prison for piracy, where he dictated his “Book”, which served medieval Europe as a study guide on the life of the countries of Central, East and South Asia.
