Who Was the Inventor of the Weather Vane?
Weather vanes have been an important weather instrument since very ancient times. Also called a weathercock, the weather vane usually includes a figure that revolves on a vertical rod that is mounted on a rooftop to indicate the direction of the wind. The word “vane” comes from the Old English “fane,” which means flag or banner. We have sophisticated weather instruments today, but the weather vane remains as a decorative collector’s item that many homeowners continue to use for both style and function.