Oldest.org Whether it’s figuring out which freeway exit to take or discovering a new country to visit, maps allow people to better maneuver the world around them. And, while no one should use a fifteenth century map to navigate their modern day ocean voyage, old maps built the foundation of this world knowledge geographically, politically and religiously. Some old maps show the resilience of the cartographer, who did what they could with the resources available. Others show a desire for imperial power. Some even forgo geographic accuracy in favor of religious teaching. Explore the list below to discover the world of ancient and medieval maps in their many forms.
12. Great Universal Geographic Map
Year: 1602 (earliest versions were in 1584, but have been lost)
Cartographer: Matteo Ricci
Place of Origin: China
Level of Accuracy: Somewhat accurate because the design of the continents is surprisingly similar to modern maps.
photo source: World Digital Library
Matteo Ricci, an Italian missionary living in China, made the 1602 Great Universal Geographic map at the request of Li Zhizao, a friend and cartographer. Originally, Ricci had a European map displayed in his home in the hopes of impressing his Chinese visitors with the scholarly efforts of Christian Europe. Whether or not the map converted people is up for debate, but it definitely left an impression. In 1584, the visitors asked Ricci to translate the document into Chinese since it showed places not yet familiar to them. Zhizao asked for an updated version of this map in 1602, which is the only version around today. The map includes Africa, Europe, Asia and the Americas, along with notes about those places. It is the oldest known Chinese map to depict the Americas…
READ FULL ARTICLE HERE… – Oldest.org
Home | Caravan to Midnight (zutalk.com)
