Long before the world was discovered to be round, maps were common in only the wealthiest of homes. The common man rarely had the means to afford these incredible feats of map making, subnautica map as they were the sole possessions of powerful kings, studious scholars and bold mariners.
Even before the ancient explorers returned with news of distant lands, these map makers made often stunningly accurate predictions of what was beyond their own shores. Using reports from mariners about the places they visited and measurements, some of the coastlines look as if they were mapped by satellites.
Few can argue, however, that cartographers in the 17th century were not only skilled mapmakers, they were also wonderful artists as well. In addition to creating accurate maps, they often embellished their works with sea creatures, sailing ships and even mythical gods. More than just an accurate representation of the world’s contours, these maps were elegant works of art.
Some famous world map tapestries
If you’re a fan of antique mapping, you’re already familiar with the world map tapestries of Dutch cartographer Henricus Hondius. His “Nova totius terrarum orbis geographica ac hydrographica tabula” was a milestone in map making. The translation is “A complete new map of the earth and the oceans” and it clearly demonstrates his amazing knowledge of world geography for its day.
Another popular work in the same period of history is the 16th century world map of Abraham Ortelius, one of the greatest cartographers of his time or since. When first published in the mid 1500s it became an instant classic. It’s richness of detail as well as its artistic impression made it a popular and well known version of the ‘old world map’.
If you love maps but want something a little less grandiose than the entire world, you can get great tapestries featuring different regions of the world. One of the most popular of these is a chenille tapestry that depicts the West Indies. For those who dream of paradise, or owns their own piece of paradise, this wonderful tapestry has a decorative border of pineapples, palm trees and parrots that compliment the design of the map itself.