The task of the cartographers has never been an easy job.In ancient times they were subject not only to the precariousness of the data to make their maps, but also to the religious and political conceptions of the world.These imposed their criteria and In most cases, they forced the cartographer to reflect his ideas in his letters, which is why it is so interesting to study and know the ancient maps of the world, since they offer us much more than some data that, in many cases, are completely erroneous from the current perspective.In Curious we had the opportunity to approach a mysterious map that has raised a lot of controversy, The enigmatic map of Piri Reis and on this occasion we wanted to approach 5 Ancient Maps of the Bestial World to discover how they saw the world our ancestors.
The oldest maps in history are not those of Greece and Rome.Millennia before there were people who were dedicated to draw maps or plans of the world that r Odeaba.Although scholars do not agree on which is the oldest known map, it is usually considered that the mural painting of the ancient city of Catalhoyuk, also known as Huyuk or Catal Huyuk (Anatolia), and dated in the seventh millennium BC, it is the oldest.
5 Ancient Maps of the Bestial World
1.Map of the Babylonian World of the 6th century BC
The first of these ancient maps of the world that we present to you is believed to be the oldest that exists that represents the world as a whole, according to the beliefs of that moment in the Babylonian culture.VI aCy is known as the Imago Mundi.
In it, Babylon is in the center of the world that does not exceed the Mesopotamian borders.Around the world you can see a circle that represents the" Bitter River "that It was a swampy area that surrounded the Euphrates in its lower part and after the river there are seven islands that according to the beliefs of the time it was impossible to reach them.On the top and on the reverse you can read inscriptions that explain how to interpret the map.
2.Bunting clover leaf map
This is one of the ancient maps of the world more curious.It is a Christian map and was drawn in Germany by Heinrich Bunting in 1581.For the author, it was the least precision of the map, it was not about representing the world as it really was, but what was intended was to imply that the world was an extension of the Holy Trinity with Jerusalem as the center of the Christianity.A center that is the one that holds the world together.
3.Rogeriana table made by Muhammad al-Idrisi
Muhammad al-Idrisi lived in the 12th century.Born in Ceuta he was a great traveler, geographer and cartographer who worked mainly for the Norman court of King Roger II of Sicily which had its capital in Palermo.It is considered one of the most important medieval geographers.In addition to its own experience, for its maps I use the reports of the Arab merchants and a copious documentation that was in the possession of the then king of Sicily.
In 1154, Al-Idrisi made a large world map that is known as the "Rogerian Tabula." It is oriented from the reverse to the sense that is used today, the south above and the north below.
I accompany the map with a book entitled" Geography ".In its time was the most extensive and precise map of the world that existed.In it the lands corresponding to Europe and Asia are well traced, however Africa is poorly drawn.
Al-Idrissi strongly believed in the sphericity of the Earth and said: «The earth is round as a sphere, and the waters adhere to it and they remain in it through a natural balance that does not undergo variation ».
4.The Anglo-Saxon cotton map, created between 1025 and AD 1050.
Many of the ancient maps of the world that have reached our days are copies of others even older.This is believed to have been copied from one of the e Little Roman.It was created in Canterbury between 1025 and 1050.It is drawn on cotton.The red lines on the right are believed to be the result of a misinterpretation of the artist who drew it and painted all the rivers of Africa red.according to a poor understanding of what the Red Sea was.
In the lower left corner you can see what is believed to be the oldest and most realistic representation of the British Isles.You can also see the surrounding islands that are the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, the Isle of Wight and also the Orkney of Scotland and the Sorlingas Islands on the west coast of Cornwall.
5.The Da Ming Hu Yi Tu , end of the 14th century.
The last of the ancient maps of the world that we present to you is Chinese and was made at the end of the 14th century.It represents the world as such as the Ming dynasty conceived.For them China dominated the world and occupied most of the planet.Europe is compressed in a minimal space to the left of the map; in the west.
The map is known as the Da Ming Hu Yi Tu and is painted in rigid silk.
We hope that these ancient cartographic works will have impressed as we do.Do you know these old maps of the world ? Do you know of any more we can mention? Share it with us! If you want to know other interesting maps, we invite you to read the post: 3 ancient maps very MYSTERIOUS.
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