History of Map Monsters

Rowan · Post by **Rowan** » Tue September 27th, 2011, 4:11 pm

I know that there are a few members here who love old maps, so I figured this story might appeal to you.

In the early days of mapmaking, the seas were full of monsters. Close to port or in well-explored shipping lanes, stout frigates and galleons were depicted in full sail, but farther out, a remarkable diversity of sea serpents and other bizarre creatures ploughed the waves. On land as well, uncharted territories were generously populated with legendary figures both pagan and religious, both human and clearly otherwise.

The weird bestiary at the edges of maps was in large part an artistic decision, a chance for cartographers to fill in ugly white spaces of the still-unexplored Earth and to stretch their creative wings. (Engraving awesome, foam-spouting behemoths must have been a nice break from tracing the coast of Mexico for the umpteenth time.) But they also served as a reminder of the very real dangers faced by the explorers of the day. No one knew what was out there, and many who left didn't come back.

Click here to find the slide show

LoveHistory · Post by **LoveHistory** » Tue September 27th, 2011, 6:03 pm

Some of those monsters are downright funny.

I love the colors they used in their maps.

MLE (Emily Cotton) · Post by **MLE (Emily Cotton)** » Tue September 27th, 2011, 8:02 pm

Love old maps! Thanks for posting.

Madeleine · Post by **Madeleine** » Wed September 28th, 2011, 1:12 pm

I love the first one - the guy who's just basically a big head on legs reminds me of Elvis!

Nefret · Post by **Nefret** » Sat October 1st, 2011, 2:13 am

That was pretty cool. I like old maps.

Margaret · Post by **Margaret** » Sun October 2nd, 2011, 5:31 am

The one with the Africans trading gold nuggets for worthless flowers was pretty funny in view of the tulipmania the Dutch fell prey to a century or two later.