Eli5: how did early civilizations know what was north and what was south

Question

Eli5: how did early civilizations know what was north and what was south

In: Biology

Answer 1

Different civilizations used different methods. Known, visible landmarks were always an option. Many relied on the direction of the movement of the sun or the stars (which we still use today). Others, like the ancient seafaring Polynesians, used the above methods in combination with the migratory patterns of birds and the direction of ocean currents.