Maps are often treated as neutral instruments. They measure distances, record boundaries, locate cities, and give us a visual framework for understanding the world. Yet…
During the sixteenth century, no map in Europe was more valuable or more closely guarded, than Spain’s Padrón Real (Royal Standard Map). At a time…
Among the most visually striking forms of cartography ever produced, panoramic city maps occupy a unique space between geographic representation and artistic illustration. Often referred…
Few English cities possess a cartographic history as rich and visually compelling as York. Encircled by medieval walls, shaped by Roman foundations, Viking streets, Georgian…
Here is a curated list of period and near-period maps (1860–1865) that depict the Confederate States of America as a country or distinct political entity.…
The mid-nineteenth century was a transformative era in American cartography. It was marked by rapid territorial expansion. It also included technological innovation and the democratization…
The island of Diego Garcia is a slender coral atoll nestled in the heart of the Indian Ocean. It possesses a history as turbulent and…
The Aral Sea: From Fourth-Largest Inland Sea to the World’s Newest Desert, A Cartographic History of Human-Driven Collapse and Medieval Precedent The Aral Sea has…
Why Scotland Was Tilted East: A Cartographic Mystery That Took Centuries to Fix If you’ve ever browsed old maps of Europe, you have noticed something…
For nearly two hundred years, European maps depicted a massive body of water in the interior of Florida. It dominated the American Southeast. It was…