Welcome to the fascinating world of ancient maps! These precious testimonies of the history of cartography transport us to a distant era, where explorers and scholars of Antiquity attempted to represent the world around them. In this article, we'll travel back in time to explore ancient maps, ingenious creations that laid the foundation for modern cartography. Prepare to embark on a journey through the centuries and explore the cartographic wonders of the Turin Map, Anaximander's Aegean Map, Hecataeus' Map and Ptolemy's World Map .
Turin map
Dating from the 14th century BCE, the Turin Map, also known as the Turin Papyrus, is one of the oldest known geographic maps. This mysterious creation is engraved on a piece of papyrus and represents a region of the Nile Delta in Egypt. It offers a fascinating insight into how the ancient Egyptians represented their environment. Made for the purposes of mining expeditions, the map of Turin shows mountains, rivers and towns, illustrating the mastery of cartography by the Egyptians of the time.
Turin Papyrus
Anaximander's map
In the 6th century BCE, the Greek philosopher and geographer Anaximander created the first map of the world. This map, sadly lost today, was the first known attempt to depict the world. Anaximander used geographic coordinates to demarcate lands and seas, laying the foundation for the latitude and longitude systems later used in cartography. This map shows the Aegean Sea, the Mediterranean, Europe, Asia and Africa (known as Libya).
Reconstruction of Anaximander's map
Hecataeus' map
Hecataeus of Miletus, another Greek scholar from the 5th century BCE, is known for creating a detailed map of the known world in ancient times. This map, also lost today, was based on travel stories and geographical knowledge of the time. Hecataeus would have been inspired by Anaximander's map to produce a more precise map. It allowed exploration of remote areas such as the Black Sea, India and Egypt. Although Hecataeus' map was improved and modified by other cartographers later, it laid the foundation for cartography as a scientific discipline.
Reconstruction of the map of Hecataeus
Ptolemy's world map
In the 2nd century CE, the Greek scholar Ptolemy created a world map that revolutionized cartography of his time. His major work, entitled "Geography", included a general map of the world and twenty-six detailed regional maps. Ptolemy used latitude and longitude coordinates to map lands and seas, laying the foundation for an improved conical projection system. His world map also introduced the orientation of maps towards true north, the equator, the tropics and degrees of latitude.
Interesting fact: Did you know that Ptolemy's world map was ignored in the West for centuries? It was only during the Renaissance, at the dawn of the 15th century, that the West discovered this realistic map of the world through Arabic translations. The humanists of the time then had a complete geographical corpus, propelling cartography towards new advances.
Ptolemy's World Map
Conclusion
In conclusion, these early geographical maps played an important role in the development of cartography and inspired many later geographers and cartographers. Their importance lies not only in their historical value, but also in their contribution to the understanding of our world and its history.