Mapping the World Before Mercator (2020)

Perhaps the most striking characteristic of the highly schematized mappamundi in the Codex Urgellensis is its representation of mountains, rivers, and…

At twenty feet long and only one foot tall, the Peutinger Table provides an intriguing view of the Roman world. Stretching over eleven segments (the…

This map can be understood as a detail of a T-O map of the world. Europe is the fourth part of the world when Asia occupies half the circle and the…

Similar to a modern architectural blueprint, this plan depicts both the building layout and the water pipe system of the Canterbury Cathedral and its…

In the thirteenth century, a monk by the name of Matthew Paris entered the Abbey of St. Albans. During his time as a monk, he created many works of…

The top of the map depicts a biblical judgment scene and then moves down into Asia, the holy land, then finally Europe and Africa. You may also notice…

When you look at the circle in God’s left hand, what do you see? To medieval cartographers, this three-part circle represented the earth. If you…

A beautiful example of a portolan chart atlas from the 14th century by Pietro Vesconte highlights the importance of coastal cities in the exploration…

This striking specimen, commissioned for Charles V of France (r. 1364-1380) and probably made by Majorcan Cresques Abraham, is a unique hybrid of…

This map, a portolan chart from the late 15th Century, presents the Mediterranean and the landmasses around it. The map, colorful and probably…