A Civilization advance.
The sailors of antiquity studied the night sky, noting the positions and the movement of particular stars. They realized that even when the shore was out of sight, they could steer by certain reliable stars. This crude, yet practical application of astronomy allowed the adventurous to sail into the unknown with a reasonable chance of finding their way.
Prerequisites: Astronomy and Mapmaking.
Allows for: Physics and Magnetism.

Nav`i*ga"tion (?), n. [L. navigatio: cf. F. navigation.]

1.

The act of navigating; the act of passing on water in ships or other vessels; the state of being navigable.

2. (a)

the science or art of conducting ships or vessels from one place to another, including, more especially, the method of determining a ship's position, course, distance passed over, etc., on the surface of the globe, by the principles of geometry and astronomy.

(b)

The management of sails, rudder, etc.; the mechanics of traveling by water; seamanship.

3.

Ships in general.

[Poetic]

Shak.

Aerial navigation, the act or art of sailing or floating in the air, as by means of ballons; aeronautic.<-- now aviation --> -- Inland navigation, Internal navigation, navigation on rivers, inland lakes, etc.

 

© Webster 1913.

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