h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: A Brief History of Map Making - A2957484
Author: Frenchbean <5 stars> Buddy Holly; the Elvis Costello of the 50s - U236943

Hello all

This one has been bubbling under for a while. Inspired by my interest in geography and maps.

Peer away please. All comments appreciated


Fb

Hi Frenchbean.

A lovely article, well up to your usual standard, interesting and enjoyable to read.

Would it be worth mentioning in the footnote that Ptolemy's name was pronounced 'Tol er me' I only realised that when I met a real life person called Ptolemy - well saw one on TV.

That's all.. can't find any more comments here...

Good one, Frenchbean!

I don't know if it's worth mentioning the 'orbis imago'(http://lazarus.elte.hu/~zoltorok/Cartartweb/cartart_mercator.htm ) - Mercator's first map of the world on a printed page. Previously World Maps had more usually been displayed on carefully crafted globes of weighted papier-maché, the gores printed from wooden or copper plates, hand-painted and varnished.
(Apart from Piri Reis (turkish) - 1513 Portalan map of the world, which disturbingly shows the Antartic coastline, before anyone is known to have visited that region)

I believe the 1530s was also the start of using triangulation for mapping?


Watermusic

Z I've added to the footnote, so that Toll-er-mee is clear Thank you for the kind words

Watermusic I hadn't read anywhere about maps being displayed on globes before Mercator's work Can you point me in the direction of information about that please? I have got stuff in there about wooden blocks and copper plates

Triangulation ... yes, well, I thought about including something about it - and about trig points - and about the famous mapping of the Indian subcontinent - and about theodolites ... but decided against all of them! I want keep the entry brief and may be use it as a launch for more detailed entries about specific breakthroughs in cartography. As you know it's a huge subject

Perhaps I should make passing reference to triangulation?

Fb

I went to see the Mappa Mundi on holiday the other week (I was on holiday, the map was working!). Maybe I should be doing an Entry...!

Jules

I'm curious to know how you used to think Ptolomy was pronounced, Z.

(Haven't read the Entry tet Fb - it's getting late - but I will do)

Great entry on a subject that is close to my heart. Maps have always been a passion of mine. A couple points come to mind that might improve your entry without adding too much;

Early maps, before the perfection of a portable time piece (the chronometer) are quite accurate north and south but have considerable error east and west due the inability of the explores to accurately place their position in this direction.

Also;

George Washington, the 'Father' of the US, greatest general and first President, was by profession a surveyor and map maker before he became famous. He was part of the team that mapped the 'Mason-Dixon' Line that became the border for most of the American Civil War.

F S

( to post twice, but I ment to put it here )

Hello FS

Thank you for the comments

I avoided getting into stuff about the accuracy of navigation, because that is another whopping great area of information - especially the longitude thing. Somebody could write an entry on that though? And this entry is about maps, not strictly about navigation

George Washington - hmmm, I am trying to concentrate on Europe in the entry

Yeah, I wondered whether you might do an entry on the Mappa Mundi Jules

Fb

Hi,

I have just read a biography of Mercator by Nicholas Crane. It is a bit dry, but loads of information stashed in it.

Strabo is credited with being the person to suggest that a ball be the best way to represent the world.
Early globes were of carved wood or engraved metal - one-offs.
(I feel an entry coming on?)
Martin Waldseemuller's book 'cosmographiae introductio' of 1507 was accompanied by a globe on which was marked the continent 'America'.
Van der Heyden (astronomical instrument and globe maker) and Gemma Frisius obtained a 'copyright' by Imperial Charter to construct a new up-to-date pair of globes (terrestrial and celestial). They had to bring in further partners, the first of whom was Mercator (like his first job), in 1535.

Incidently on glancing my way through to pick up the information I noted

Erhard Etzlaub (compass and sundial maker) produced what is regarded as the earliest route map - the Romweg 1500
http://lazarus.elte.hu/~zoltorok/Cartartweb/cartart_etzlaub.htm

If you could fit him in somewhere?

Watermusic

Terrific entry, Frenchbean!

Is it worth mentioning that the art of map-making has now begun to spread out to moons and planets other than the Earth? The data which has been sent back from satellites orbiting Mars and Venus in particular has been nothing short of staggering.

Well done,

Woodpigeon

Good entry! It's a pity you can't have examples of some of the old maps as illustrations.



Although Ptolemy lived in the Roman Empire, he wasn't a Roman. He was a Graeco-Egyptian, living in Alexandria in the 2nd Century AD and writing in Greek.

I really don't like these two sentences:

"There is a long gap in our knowledge about the development of maps from 1AD until the Medieval period. At this time most world maps were dominated by religious views and whilst Rome was the driving force behind map making, Jerusalem was the centre of the known world, reflecting the religious doctrines of 14th Century Europe."

1. When you say "at this time", you must mean the mediaeval period, but it is not clear. Perhaps if you said "by this time" it would be clearer.
2. You talk about a gap from 1 AD, but you've just talked about a map made in the 2nd Century.
3. Putting "Rome" anywhere near 1AD suggests the Roman Empire, but I think you mean the Church of Rome.
4. The h2g2 Style Guide recommends "while" rather than "whilst".

Perhaps you could rephrase them as follows:

"There is a long gap in our knowledge about the development of maps from the 2nd Century AD until the Medieval period. By this time, most world maps were dominated by religious views and while the Church of Rome was the driving force behind map making, Jerusalem was considered the centre of the known world, reflecting the religious doctrines of 14th Century Europe."

for the reconnoitre --> for the reconnaissance

satellite photography and imagery --> satellite photography and imaging

I can't find anything wrong with this Entry FB...

The only thing I did think about with maps though was perhaps a mention of satellite navigation tools in vehicles (like ambulances) and perhaps a link to Orienteering A583364 , the GPS A523216 and perhaps even Cellestial Navigation A701065

And what about the fact that the ing things are impossible to fold back into their original condition.

PGHF

Well Fb, if, I mean when, I do, we can link to each other's Entries, what fun!

It won't be today, though, I am on a race against time to prepare for work on Thursday - no of course six weeks off wasn't enough!!

Jules

May I ask why you're concentrating almost soley on Europe in a history of map making, unless you intend it to be called 'A Brief History of Map Making in Europe'

There were plenty of important maps all over the world. I don't know too much about the rest of the world, but I know in America, there was one map made by James Mitchell in 1755 that settled border disputes into the 20th century and helped end the American revolution.

Lots of maps, I'm sure

Thank you all What a good lot of comments. I don't have time to tackle any of them today, but I'll try to get on with it tomorrow lunchtime

Keep 'em coming...

Fb

That took me a little longer than I antipated

I think I've taken on board what everybody has said...

Jodan: North America is now in there, as once I began to investigate that, it was obvious that significant maps were drawn up there which really needed to be acknowledged - including John Mitchell's 1755 map and the Mason-Dixon Line

As a result of that, I've changed the intro around, so that it's not simply about Europe any more.

Gnomon: thank you for rewording that paragraph. I wasn't happy with it either, but was too close to it to work it out And I've amended the footnote about Ptolemy and done those typos.

PGHF: I haven't done any h2g2 links yet. I've run out of steam for the night I'll get onto that tomorrow. And I have a feeling I should be following up something JulesK said as well Tomorrow

Thanks all. See what you think now.

Fb

Watermusic: great link to Etzlaub's map. Somehow that one hadn't popped up into radar at all It's now in.

Woodpigeon: - yup, I've added stuff about other planets etc. Good point

apart from the third paragraph where I think you need an and between
pursued refined

Meanwhile, having looked again at bits of the Mercator and other bits and pieces, the entry coming on has arrived at A2965025 - Globes, if anyone wants to toss it around a bit!

The Mercator projection has the advantage that directions are preserved: a direction of 27 degrees East of North on the ground appears as 27 degrees East of North on the map. This made it very useful for navigation until satellite positioning came in.

I don't think it is accurate to say that most map makers utilise the Mercator projection today. Thirty or forty years ago, Mercator maps of the world were common, but I haven't seen one in yonks. Most maps today use a slightly different projection which doesn't exaggerate the size of areas around the poles quite as much.

Yup Gnomon - right again I double and treble checked Mercator projections and the one most in use now is the Miller Projection, which, as you say, reduces the exaggeration towards the poles. I'll amend the entry

I'm not clear what you mean by >a direction of 27 degrees East of North on the ground appears as 27 degrees East of North on the map< That, surely is the entire point of a map - to show on paper what is on the ground? Or have I completely missed the point?