I once handled a tiny 17th‑century brass compass, only an inch long, and inside it was a tiny pocket of paper with a map of an island no one had seen before. The precision of the engraving made me pause, and the discovery of that little map made me feel as if I’d uncovered a whole new world. It’s amazing how such a small thing can carry so much history, and it reminds me that even the tiniest artifacts demand my careful attention and patience.