Old maps of Africa are detailed, and in the 19th century this continent is a solid white spot
Old maps of Africa are detailed, and in the 19th century this continent is a solid white spot

Video: Old maps of Africa are detailed, and in the 19th century this continent is a solid white spot

Video: Old maps of Africa are detailed, and in the 19th century this continent is a solid white spot
Video: Navigating Soviet Waters: The Life and Works of Aram Khachaturian 2024, November
Anonim

In the history of cartography, there is such a paradox: there are practically no "blank spots" on the early maps of the 16-17th centuries. The territories of then little explored Asia, America, Africa are covered with numerous inscriptions and images of many cities, countries, mountains and rivers. As we approach our time, white spots appear, they become more and more, then they gradually begin to decrease in size and finally disappear altogether.

In order not to be unfounded, I will illustrate what has been said with specific examples.

Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image

When Haggard wrote The Mines of King Solomon in 1885, he placed fictional peoples in then unexplored territories. But then the general public, and even more so, scientists understood the difference between a fantasy-adventure novel and reality. And 200-300 years before that, it seems, they did not understand.

Why am I all this. To the fact that if pundits of the 16-17 centuries thrust invented cities, kingdoms and objects of physical geography into unexplored territories, realizing that, very likely, the number of blank spots would decrease, then what could they “shove” into distant eras. After all, time travel has not yet been implemented, and it is unlikely that it will ever take place.

Recommended: