Wikipedia:Wikifun/Round 13/Answers/Question 13

Hint
''The answer does not involve the Basilica of St. John Lateran. Eugène van der Pijll 22:22, 27 June 2006 (UTC)

Aha!

 * Ah - I had found St John Lateran but then the trail went cold. I have now found the two churches but am stuck on the "device, originally from China" which is a central feature of the second church. -- ALoan (Talk) 10:45, 28 June 2006 (UTC)

Aha as well!
I think ALoan was almost there. The device is a compass!

I was stuck with St John Lateran as well. I guess I just assumed I knew what the Holy See was but according to the Holy See article it could also be the Archbishopric of Mainz, so it's Mainz Cathedral that we need to look at, inaugurated in 1009, which is the year the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was destroyed in Jerusalem. One feature of this church was the "compas, an omphalos once thought to be the center of the world". This of course shares its name with the compass, a device which, according to the article, originated in China.

Sheesh. --Spondoolicks 11:34, 28 June 2006 (UTC)


 * Garn. I was distracted trying (and failing) to find a Chinese version of the edicule... -- ALoan (Talk) 11:41, 28 June 2006 (UTC)


 * ''Correct (the compass, not the edicule). Eugène van der Pijll 15:38, 28 June 2006 (UTC)