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History
of Mapmaking
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Evidence of mapmaking suggests that the map evolved
independently in many separate parts of earth. Marshall
Islanders made stick charts for navigation. Pre-Columbian maps
in Mexico used footprints to represent roads. Early Eskimos
carved ivory coastal maps. Incas built relief maps of stone and
clay. Chinese literature contains references to maps as early as
7th century B.C. |
Early
Chinese map
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1000 B.C.
Earliest direct evidence of mapping comes from the middle east.
These ancient Babylonian clay tablets depict the earth as a flat
circular disk.
Ancient Chinese Maps
In ancient times, Chinese cartography was more advanced than their
contemporaries'. Their maps were accurate and detailed compared to
other ancient maps.
200 B.C.
The Greeks understood that the earth was a sphere. Eratosthenes
accurately calculated the circumference of the earth using angle
measures.
150 A.D.
Ptolemy defined in Geography the elements and form of scientific
cartography. In spite of his errors (he maintained that the sun
revolved around the earth, and calculated the earth as 3/4 its
actual size), Ptolemy was far ahead of his time on how scientific
research should be conducted. He proposed a system of projections
and coordinate systems that are still used today.
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Middle Ages
European maps were more ecclesiastic than cartographic. Cosmas
exemplified this concept, incorporating religious themes and
references into many of his maps.
In contrast, Arab maps advanced the
earlier Greek practices. Al-Idris designed a still-famous world map.
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16th century
Mercator created a map- the Mercator Projection that allowed
mariners to sail to their destinations by following a fixed rule
called a rhumb line.
Newton 17th century
Newton postulated that, due to the centrifugal force of the spinning
earth, strongest at its equator, the earth bulges at the equator and
flattens at the poles. The earth is not a true sphere, but a
spheroid.
19th century
Europeans implemented the metric system that introduced a simpler
and more universal language for map scale. The Greenwich prime
meridian was established.
20th century
Aerial photographs, computers, electronic distance-measuring
instruments, inertial navigation systems, remote sensing, and
applications of space science create new extensions of cartography's
reach. The Internet makes that reach accessible to all of us.
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