1424 history
1466 History
1489 History
1507 History

Mapmakers document the knowledge gathered through exploration and trade.
As they learned more about the earth and its shape, they needed new ways to show it.
The cartography of old maps shows some of the mapmakers' tools and when they appeared.
Look at modern maps to find the tools still used today.

The red ship with a C - brings you back to "Building Blocks in Cartography".

 

What's New in 1424?
Rhumbs as Grid, the Compass Rose and a Mile Scale
Color-coded Rhumb Lines
Place Names
A Circle with Spain in the center
The vellum skin
Holes for attaching to a post

CARTOGRAPHY

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What's New in 1466?
Drawn on a vellum skin with holes for attaching to a post
Mediterranean Sea in the Center
The Mapmaker from Majorca puts his signature and portrait on the map
Madonna and Child Decoration
A Grid of Two Circles
Compass Roses
Drawing the Landscape: Rivers and Cities
Drawing the Landscape: Mountains, Tents, Flags, Animals
Drawing the Landscape: Lakes and Seas

CARTOGRAPHY

What's New in 1489?
Italian Artistry
Genoese Mapmaker
Drawn on 2 vellum skins to form a rectangle with holes for rolling on a post
Vivid Colors
A Passage for the Exodus of the Israelites
Dangerous Waters
Mountains and Forests
Colorful Cities
Africa: Coastal Place Names, National Flags and Tents
Compass Roses and the Grid with a Distance Scale
Rhumbs form Two Circles
Message from the Mapmaker
Composed in all directions

CARTOGRAPHY

What's New in 1507?
The Importance of Names: America
Latitude & Longitude
Dividing the Globe: The Equator, the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn
Land and Water shown separately with texts about places
Fewer Place Names
No Decorations
Making a flat into a round
Very Large Size
Classical and Modern Views
Global perspective
Decoration outside the Map
Conical Projection
Classical and Modern Sources
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1424 Nautical Chart
1466 Portolan Chart
1489 Portolan Chart
1507 Globe
1507 Wall Map

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