I had heard a story once that the verb "orient" (as in finding where you are, aligning yourself/something else, etc.) was related to east being on the top of th

I had heard a story once that the verb "orient" (as in finding where you are, aligning yourself/something else, etc.) was related to east being on the top of the map: you figured out which direction was "oriental" (i.e. eastern), and matched it with the top of the map. Later I researched it though and while that may have contributed, the more likely original meaning came from people wanting to build their churches and such to face east.