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Posted by: Cynthia Smith
This post is about maps related to the voyages of Sir Francis Drake in the collections of the Library of Congress. The maps are held in both the Geography and Map Division and the Hans Peter Kraus Collection of the Rare Book and Special Collections Division.
Posted in: 16th century cartography, American History, European History, Exploration
Posted by: Cynthia Smith
Starting in the 16th century, an island off the coast of Newfoundland was labeled as the “Isle of Demons.” Rumors spread that those who ventured near the island heard strange noises. Mariners believed that the Isle of Demons was inhabited by evil spirits; they were afraid to visit the island or to sail near it. …
Posted in: 16th century cartography, 17th century cartography
Posted by: Cynthia Smith
The word utopia is used to describe a perfect place. The British statesman and writer Sir Thomas More coined the word from the ancient Greek words ou-topos meaning “no place” and eu-topos meaning a “good place.” In this post I am featuring maps of the mythical land named Utopia. In 1516 Thomas More wrote a …
Posted in: 16th century cartography, 18th century cartography, Imaginary maps
Posted by: Cynthia Smith
Early maps of Iceland are compelling, they are often embellished with sea monsters and pictorials. Modern maps of the country are equally interesting because of the unique shape and terrain of the island. Iceland, with its glaciers and volcanoes, is accurately nicknamed the “Land of Fire and Ice.” The maps of Iceland featured in this …
Posted in: 16th century cartography, 17th century cartography, 19th century cartography, European History, Exploration
Posted by: Cynthia Smith
Over the years I have noticed the placement of Saint Brendan’s Island on historical maps. I became curious about the mythical island and the story behind it. Saint Brendan’s Island was placed in different locations on maps of the Atlantic Ocean. The island was often placed west of England and Ireland. It was also placed …
Posted in: 16th century cartography, 17th century cartography, 18th century cartography, Exploration
Posted by: Cynthia Smith
Hy-Brasil never existed, however, it was often shown on maps as a very small island west of Ireland. The name Hy-Brasil originated from Celtic mythology. According to Irish folklore an island named Hy-Brasil was visible from the west coast of Ireland for only one day every seven years, the rest of the time it was …
Posted in: 16th century cartography, 17th century cartography, 18th century cartography, Exploration
Posted by: Cynthia Smith
Many years ago I visited an antique show held at the Washington D.C. Stadium Armory. Dealers from all over the United States displayed almost every kind of antique on tables throughout the market. One of the dealers owned an antique map store in St. Louis. I looked at many maps, dated from the 19th century …
Posted in: 16th century cartography, Biography
Posted by: Cynthia Smith
The Greek explorer and historian Megasthenes wrote that Taprobana was divided by a river and abundant in pearls and gold. Taprobana was located somewhere in the Indian Ocean and usually shown on historical maps as a large island south of India. There have been many theories about the identity of the island. Some thought Taprobana …
Posted in: 16th century cartography, Asian History
Posted by: Cynthia Smith
The title of this post does not refer to the science fiction novel of the same name by Jules Verne. It refers to the phantom island Frisland which was commonly shown on maps of the North Atlantic Ocean during the 16th and 17th centuries. Frisland never existed, however, cartographers believed that the island was real …
Posted in: 16th century cartography, 17th century cartography, 18th century cartography, Exploration